Vera Nell Craft

Vera Nell Craft

Funeral services for Vera Nell Craft, 86 of Leesville will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 22, 2015 at the Pine Hill Baptist Church with Rev. E. J. Bradshaw and Rev. Jimmy "Tri" Evans III officiating. The burial will follow in the Pine Hill Cemetery. Friends may visit Sunday, June 21st from 6 pm until 10 pm, then 8 am until time of service at the church Monday. Services are under the direction of the Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville, Louisiana.

Vera Nell craft was born on the 20th day of August 1927 in Leesville, LA, the daughter of Percy and Minnie Westmoreland. She entered eternal rest on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at her residence in Leesville.

Vera Nell was a Christian with all who loved the Lord and was active serving Him through her church, Pine Hill Baptist Church for 60+ years. She was church Treasurer forever and watched over the finances like a hawk watching a chicken.

She was much loved by her family and after Papa's death in 2009 she became the family Matriarch continuing the Sunday tradition of that big Sunday dinner at her home. Having anywhere from 6 to 8 to 25 for dinner. Preparing and serving this to our families were simply her love & joy. The family estimates, conservatively, that Mama baked over 4000 Buttermilk Pound Cakes in her time and cooked enough chicken spaghetti, her specialty dish, to fill half the church.

She was a legend in the banking circles in the parish, becoming the first Lady Vice President of a bank setting; she worked for the Vernon Bank for 30+ years. Everything she did she did with perfection, always striving to please others, set a good example and as if very evident befriending and helping whoever she could.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 61 years, Ira Craft; her brother Hubert Westmoreland; sisters Pauline, Dorothy & Charlene and also granddaughter Paula Dee Craft McDonald.

She will be sorely missed by her family, sons & daughter in laws; Jimmy and Sissie Craft and Bobby and Cathy Craft all of Leesville; daughter and son in law; Linda and Dale Behan of Ft Worth, TX; Grandsons, Jim and wife Robin Craft, Rob Craft, Chris and wife Ashlie Anderson, George and wife Brandy Craft, Crispen and wife Danielle Craft and Wm Dale and wife Kari Behan; granddaughters, Annalisa Anderson, Anslea Craft Dowden, Whitney and husband Justin Martin and Laura Davis; Great Grandchildren, Josh, Miranda, Alexa, Teighlor, Trevor, Lauren, Vanessa, Rylee, Carson, Jameson, Nicholas, Collins (to be born July 19th) Ross, Walker, Jackson, Henli, Jordan, Harli and Joei; Host of Nephews and nieces and so many lifelong friends that loved her.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harbour Hospice or Pine Hill Church.

The family wishes to thank and express their sincere appreciation to Glenda Burns and Paula Larson for their nurturing caregiving.

Words of comfort may be expressed to the Craft Family at www.labbymemorial.com.