Naomi Shaner Vereecke

Naomi Shaner Vereecke, 95, of Bradford went home to be with the Lord at 5:15 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, at Courtyard Estates, Bradford. Naomi was born on Oct. 26, 1916, in Stonington, Ill., the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Myers) Traughber. She married Dale Lester Shaner on June 20, 1937, in Normal. He preceded her in death on Nov. 5, 1967. A son, Alfred Thomas, passed away on Dec. 20, 1969. She married Henry Vereecke on June 17, 1983, in Bradford. He preceded her in death on Feb. 4, 2003. She was also preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and five sisters. She is survived by her two daughters, Sharon (Ron) Allen of Clarksville, Tenn., and Sandra (Patrick) Johnston of Wilmington, Del., and two sons, Dr. Dale (Diana) Shaner of Fort Collins, Colo., and Phil (Sharon) Shaner of Bradford. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Lt. Col. Jeff (Katie) Allen, Mike (Jill) Allen, Dr. David (Sue) Allen, Van (Kristin) Johnston, Mark (Jen) Johnston, Dr. Angela (Nate) Tobecksen, Dr. Nathan Shaner, Nicholas (Karen) Shaner, Cassie (Eric) DeWerff, Corrie (Chris) Gorsche and Jeremy Shaner. There are 14 great-grandchildren, Alex, Jacob and Benjamin Allen, Haley, Tyler and Sydney Allen, Madison, Faith, Mark and Rebekah Allen, Max and Jordan Johnston, and Grady and Kay Tobecksen. She is also survived by one stepdaughter, Melanie Vereecke of Chicago, and one stepgranddaughter, April Hayley of California. Naomi graduated from Taylorville High School in Taylorville in 1934, from Illinois State University in 1936, and from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971 and a Master of Science in 1972. She enjoyed her 25 years of teaching. The first five years of teaching were in one-room school houses in Amboy, Ohio and Buda. Then she spent 20 years teaching at Bradford Grade School in Bradford. She was a member of honorary sororities, Pi Lambda Theta and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was a member of Leet Memorial United Methodist Church, where she served as lay leader, chairman of Counsel of Ministries and the Missionary Society, and on the Pastor Parish Relations Committee. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Wyoming, where she served as Worthy Matron. She was member and past president of Women''s League of Bradford, Stark County Home Extension and chairman of the U.S. Bicentennial committee of Bradford. Naomi was named Stark County Conservation Teacher of the Year and was a member of Retired Teachers. She was a member of Illinois Farmers Union and the Farm Bureau. She served several years as chairman of Democratic Women of Stark County. Naomi enjoyed farming with first husband, Dale of Bradford, being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, reading, crocheting, sewing and traveling to many countries of the world. A Celebration of Life service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Methodist Church in Bradford. Visitation will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Grant-Johnson Funeral Home in Bradford. Memorials may be made to the Leet Memorial United Methodist Church of Bradford or the Bradford Rescue Squad.