Verna Marie Scharbach

102-year-old Verna Scharbach passed away peacefully in her Mount Angel home on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. Verna was the second of nine children born to William and Elizabeth Predeek. Lucky to have a large and extended family, she quickly became as deeply rooted in the area as the native oaks.Living out of town on their family farm near RockyFour Corners, her parents decided to send her toboarding school with the Benedictine Sisters inMount Angel, the beginning of a long relationshipwith the Sisters. Being quarantined there in an upstairs room for scarlet fever, she remembered seeing the glow of the fire that destroyed their country barn when her brothers were playing “steam engine” too near the hay. Married at 17 to August Scharbach, they built their house and had two boys; Robert (Bob) Scharbach (Patricia Culley) and John (Jack) Scharbach (Jane Bainter) and some years later, daughters Susan and Nancy Scharbach. When her husband passed away Verna became the cook at Mt. Angel Middle School. She was a wonderful cook and many remember the fresh rolls she made from scratch, grinding the wheat berries the kitchen received. During that time she enthusiastically took up ballroom dancing, perfect for her graceful legs and love of movement and people. One of her outstanding traits was her willingness to make new friends through- out her life. She loved meeting new people and was a good listener. Hearing from people with different backgrounds expanded her world. She delighted in it, the way some enjoy traveling. Gardening, especially propagating and sharing plants, was a lifelong pleasure. It was impossible for her to compost the tiniest bulb or slip of a plant she might pot up and give to someone. Her interest was contagious and sparked many to take up the hobby themselves. Volunteering was her joy and dedication from her fifties onward. A constantat the Mt. Angel Senior Center, working in the kitchen where she felt most at home. Near that time she began collecting donations for the needy in her garage, starting what would become Mission Benedict. She was not judgmental of people’s circumstances, but went straight to filling their needs. She loved making sure mothers had everything they needed when an infant was coming. When the Mission became a food pantry, she was there, working, and loved the work and the people so much she only admitted to being retired in the last few months. Her co-volunteers became a circle of friends, adding joy to her days. Her services to the community earned her the Mt. Angel Citizen of the Year award in 2012, and in 2020, at the age of 101, the Spirit Mountain Community Fund’s Helping Hands Award.Being related to so many people, her long life and good memory made her an excel- lent resource for her nephew Bill and the Mt. Angel Historical Society. Fun tales of her childhood included roller skating from Mount Angel to Monitor with a gang of neighborhood kids, returning home triumphant at dusk. A world that charms us. She is survived by her son John and daughters Susan and Nancy Scharbach; grandchildren Angela Scharbach, Melanie Dimond, Erica Turner and Jacob Scharbach; and sisters Dorothy Holmes and Donna Annen. She might say: “Love where you live, love your people, live lightly and follow your interests. You will find deep contentment in your life.” Remembrances can be made to: Mission Benedict, Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel, or the Mt. Angel Historical Society