JERA VERNE

Jera Verne  
Jera May Prendergast Verne, renaissance woman living in Alexandria, Virginia, passed away on April 10, 2019 at the age of 75. In the end, it was massive smoke inhalation during a house fire, coupled with a progressive lung disease, that took her life. But before then, it was with spirit, kindness, and and a bottomless well of love for friends and family that she lived it.  Born in Nyack, NY in 1943, Jera wanted nothing more than to create a loving home to counter the tumultuous one of her childhood. She met her husband Peter of 53 years on the beach in Montauk at the age of 15, and married him at 21. Together they raised two boys; living first in Connecticut, then Maryland in 1972. Eventually, with their sons grown and out of the house, Jera and Peter moved to Old Town in 1999. Throughout her life, Jera's interests resulted in a diverse employment history; telephone operator, stewardess, calligrapher, stencil artist, fitness instructor, interior designer, Smithsonian-trained faux finisher, real estate agent, and makeup artist to name a few.  Beyond her work, Jera loved to travel with her family to the beaches of Nantucket, the mountains of Colorado, the small towns of Ireland, and the streets of Paris, making friends wherever she went. She was also a wonderful, self-taught cook, as many who have tasted her food, especially her pasta sauce, can attest to. She loved to have dinners with friends, go dancing, be silly for no reason, sing while doing anything, and would strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone. She always gave strangers the benefit of the doubt, and would open her home to someone she just met; her empathy knew no bounds. But even with all her interests and passions, if you asked her to describe herself, she would say simply wife and mother. To her, those were the most important things in the world.  She is survived by her husband Peter, her sons Peter and Jeremy and their families, and her sister Kappi, who will agree that of all that she did in her life, wife and mother were what she did best. May she rest in peace. Memorial arrangements will be announced separately.