Verle Noma Saucy Irvine was born in Salem, OR on July 18,1925, to David and Noma Webb Saucy. She passed away on Saturday, September 3, 2022 in Centerville, TN.
Verle’s father’s family was originally from Moutier, Switzerland, and in 1910, they settled in the Willamette Valley in Salem and Dundee, OR, where Verle was born and raised. She was the second child of five, with an older brother, David Saucy Jr., younger brothers Howard and Thomas, and sister Charlotte. Her father was true to his Swiss heritage, serving as a board member of the Dairy Co-op in Portland, OR from 1928 to 1941, and managing farms for the Ladd & Bush Bank. Verle’s family owned a large dairy farm in Dundee, OR where they tended to livestock, gardens, orchards, hay fields, and food processing. Her father often spoke French in their home, while the children mostly spoke English.
Verle met the love of her life, Robert Porter Irvine Jr., in fifth grade in Salem, OR. They kept in touch long distance, even while Bob was in KY with his family and while he served in WWII. Verle earned a B.S. degree in Home Economics from Oregon State University, where she was also a competitive dancer. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority where she met many lifelong friends, and she taught Home Economics before marrying.
She and “Bob” married on August 12, 1951 in Salem, OR, and moved to Celina, TN, where they owned and operated the Celina Boat Dock, in partnership with Louis Wells, on Dale Hollow Lake. Their first daughter, Noma Marietta, was born during that time, in 1952. They lived in Nashville, TN for a short time before moving to Fontana Lake in NC to manage the Fontana Resort Boat Dock. While at Fontana Lake, Susan (Sue) Verlaine was born. In 1956, they purchased the Cookeville Boat Dock in Cookeville, TN, where their third daughter, Mary Katherine, was born. Verle was a superb cook and was instrumental in the success of the floating restaurant during their years there. Many wonderful memories were made during the years at the Cookeville Boat Dock.
Verle received her Reading Specialist and Kindergarten Endorsement from Tennessee Technological University. She taught reading for 10 years in many of the Putnam County Schools. She was one of the first Kindergarten teachers in Putnam County, teaching at Baxter Elementary where she was a Teacher of the Year. She always said that she had some of the most wonderful students and exceptional teacher friends. She remained in touch with many of them her whole life.
In 1967, Bob and Verle moved from the Cookeville Boat Dock into Cookeville where she continued to teach kindergarten. She was like a second mother to her daughters’ friends. She often came home to a house full of friends and could put together a meal in short order.
Later, they also had a farm in Algood, TN where their daughter, Noma, and husband, Vic, had their first child, and Verle’s first grandchild, Emily Elizabeth. After Noma and Vic moved to Chattanooga, their second child, Robert Victor, was born. Verle’s Cookeville home was the meeting place for the family. Sue Warren, and Clayton O’Neal Lovlace III, enjoyed their visits to Cookeville at “Nanny and PopPop’s home.” Mary and Van Miller, and their daughters, Rebecca Marie, Laura Abigail, Julie Cassandra, and son, William Van, visited throughout the years from their homes in Chattanooga, TN and Athens, AL. Bob worked at Fleetguard, and Verle taught kindergarten until they both retired in 1987.
They retired to live on Tim’s Ford Lake in Winchester, TN, where they had a beautiful lake home with a dock. Many great memories were made with their children and grandchildren at the lake. The whole family fished, water skied, swam and enjoyed family time. Their home was once again, the gathering place for family visits. This is where Verle came to fully realize her role as matriarch of the family.
In 1998, they moved back to Cookeville where Verle enjoyed rekindling friendships and many hours quilting with the Algood Quilters as a dedicated quilter and a master seamstress. As she and Bob aged, it became evident that they should move close to one of their daughters. After living in Cookeville for ten years, they moved to Athens, AL in 2008 to live near their youngest daughter, Mary, in order to be close to their youngest grandson, William Van Miller. Sadly, Bob passed away in 2015. Verle remained in Athens with Mary’s family. Spreading the love to her middle daughter, Verle moved to Centerville, TN in the spring of 2019, to live with her daughter, Sue, where she spent her remaining time.
Verle was a life-long member of the Methodist Church and served as teacher for the two year old Sunday School Class at Cookeville First United Methodist Church for 20 years. She radiated the love that Christ has for his children.
Verle is preceded in death by her husband, Bob Irvine (Robert Porter Irvine Jr.), her parents David and Noma Webb Saucy, her brother’s David, Howard, Thomas, their spouses, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She is survived by her daughter, Noma Marietta (Donald Victor) Goodin of Cookeville, Tennessee, their daughter, Emily Elizabeth Goodin (Larry Martin) of Bellevue, TN, their son Robert Victor (Anna Catherine Swain) Goodin (children Catherine Wright and Elizabeth Beatrice) of Durango, CO. She is survived by her second daughter, Susan Verlaine (Terry) Warren of Centerville, TN, grandson Clayton O’Neal Lovlace III, step-children, step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren. She is survived by her third daughter, Mary Katherine (Van) Miller of Athens, AL, their children, Rebecca Marie (Wade) Cherry of Birmingham, AL (children James, Marigail, and Timothy), Laura Abigail of Athens, AL (children Kayhaysin & Nicholas, grandchild Raylin Postoak), Julie Cassandra (Jared) Wallin of Florence, AL (child Riley Porter), and William Van Miller of Florence, AL. She is also survived by her sister, Charlotte Altman (Joel) of Foxboro, MA as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Along with family, whom she loved, she added incredible friends who she adopted as family. Verle enjoyed writing and receiving letters to keep in touch and enjoyed and loved them all. She loved teasing her family and friends and always had a list of things to do and places to go. Verle’s constant words of encouragement were to continue to learn and set goals, which will be what many will remember.
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Memorial services will be held at the Crest Lawn Memorial Funeral Home, 800 W. Jackson St. Cookeville, Tn 38501 on September 10, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. before the start of the service at 3:00 P.M. followed by inurnment at the Crest Lawn Cemetery.
Verle will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved her. In memory of Verle, her daughters suggest that your time, your talents, your gifts and your service in her memory might go to the organization of your choice.