Vera Mae Walter

Vera May Shoemaker Walter was born on September 25, 1932, in rural Harrison County, Missouri, to Roberta Hoyt Shoemaker and Ernie Shoemaker. After her parents divorced when she was young, Vera, her mother, and her sister Lois lived in a small house south of Bethany with the help of her maternal grandmother Maimie and Maimie’s husband Sam Webber. She attended a rural elementary school and graduated early from Bethany High School at age 16 in the same class as her sister.

Vera worked as a teller at the Bethany Trust Company Bank, a job she truly loved, and also sold tickets at the Noll Theater. It was at the bank that she met Harold “Joe” Walter, whom she married on May 25, 1952. Together they raised three sons, Greg, Chris, and Doug. Vera was deeply involved in her boys’ lives, serving as a Cub Scout den mother, supporting Boy Scouts, and attending countless Little League baseball and school football games. She later assisted in Joe’s State Farm Insurance office until the boys returned from school each day.

After Joe’s retirement, Vera and Joe spent many winters in south Texas, where they formed lasting friendships. Following Joe’s death on November 18, 1998, Vera remained in Bethany, staying active with the VFW, American Legion, and Bethany United Methodist Church. She was an accomplished quilter whose work won prizes at the Northwest Missouri State Fair and devoted many hours to caring for her mother, Roberta, with daily visits to Crestview nursing home.

Vera is survived by her sons Greg and wife Becky, Chris and wife Andrea, and Doug and wife Debbie; her sister Lois Smith; brothers Dan and wife Karen Robertson of Bethany, Fred and wife Lora Robertson of St. Joseph, and Larry and wife Karen Shoemaker of Sacramento, California; seven grandchildren, Kendall Walter Fox, John Spence, Taylor Walter, Spencer Walter, Hattie Walter Steffens, Peter Walter, and Sam Walter; and ten great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother Randy Shoemaker.