Verna Mildred (Lourie) Rufini

Verna was the first of six children born to a young married couple, Mildred Louise Cook and Wellington Clair Lourie, three months before the start for the Great Depression in 1929. She was born at home in Terryville, Connecticut.

Verna began working on the family farm at the age of five, pulling weeds from the family potato garden and feeding animals. As a teenager she helped at home and was a housekeeper, cook and nanny during the summers, working for well to do families to earn money to attend college. She adored her pony named Patches and loved ice skating.

At the age of 18, Verna enrolled at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to become a technician in radiology. Her class was only the second class to graduate in the field because at the time it was an emerging technology.

After graduation in 1948, Verna accepted a job at a small hospital in Manchester CT. It was there she met and married the love of her life, Jim. At the age of 42, the love of her life, Jim died from heart disease and Verna continued to nurture, support and raise four children ages 3, 11, 14 and 16 and operate a full service gas station and bus company. She was a rock and the foundation for a large loving family. She modeled strength and grace under the toughest of circumstances.

After closing the businesses in 1973, she worked in the Insurance industry and in 1999 she retired at the age of 70 from Blumberg Insurance Agency and moved to North Carolina.

Verna was an avid dancer and traveled around the country and to Korea and Japan as a square and ballroom dancer. She sold Busy Bee Bags, Sarah Coventry and Contempo Jewelry. Verna loved the Hartford Whalers and was an active member of the Whaler’s Booster Club for many years. She was a master seamstress, a talented knitter, who one year entered and won gold at the NC Silver Olympics. Verna knitted hundreds of sweaters, hats and scarves. Verna knit each family member (and some special friends) a personalized Christmas stocking complete with names, years, Christmas trees and ornaments. She was also a quilter and a kind friend to all she met. She was an active member of the Piecemakers Quilt Guild in Lincoln County, NC and a long time member of First United Methodist Church in Lincolnton, NC.

Verna was an amazing cook and hostess. She welcomed everyone. She had a great sense of humor and always brightened the room when she entered. She held the best parties and her Sunshine Punch, Potato Salad, Caroler’s Dip, Breakfast Pizza, Pepper Sammies and Tomato Gravy are still enjoyed at family gatherings.

Verna is predeceased by her parents Mildred and “Clair”, her husband Jim, her sisters Eunice and Joan, her brother Dick, her son Brian and granddaughter Megan.

Verna is survived by a sister Margaret and her husband Chet, her brother George and his wife Joy, her sister Eunice’s husband Henry, her son James and his wife Judy, her daughter Laurie and her husband Al, Brian’s wife Patty and her son John and his wife Kip. Verna’s grandchildren are Jeremiah and his wife Heather, James and his wife Ashley, Jesse, Becca, Stephanie, Monica, Trey and his wife Amanda, Daniel and his wife Erika, Laural, Sharina and her husband Jason and Axelle Jane and her husband Devin. Verna’s Great Grandchildren are Alexa, Seth, Blake, Caleb, Emile, Olivia, Gabriella, Rowan, Genevieve, Isabella, Dalton, Emile, Michael, Dempsey, and Mia.

In addition to family who will miss her terribly, she leaves behind close friends whose love she cherished. Thanks to Jean Miller, Vickie McBryde and all the folks at Piecemakers. Thanks also to the faithful ladies at First United Methodist Church who checked on her, sent her encouraging notes and brought her goodies every month. Finally, to her caregivers we are grateful to you for helping us give her the best life possible. God Bless you all.