Verlene Williamson, 93, of Fontanelle

Celebration of Life Services:  Will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 10:3a.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle, Iowa, with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery.  Cookies, coffee and fellowship will follow the burial at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  Pastor Steven Broers will officiate the service.  The Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle is in charge of the professional arrangements.  Online condolences may be left to the family at to be www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Memorials:  May be directed to the Verlene Williamson Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

Verlene Joy (Armstrong) Williamson was born April 21, 1929, in Adair County, Iowa, to Edwin Hall and Amelia Margaretta (Ehrenfried) Armstong.  She passed away on Monday, January 23, 2023, at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Greenfield, Iowa, at the age of 93.

Verlene was baptized on August 4, 1929, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle and was confirmed June 6, 1943.  She graduated from Fontanelle High School in 1947.  She worked in the Fontanelle and Greenfield telephone offices plus Metzger’s and Friedman’s Department Store after graduation. 

On September 24, 1948, she was united in marriage to Robert Parkis.  To this union two sons were born: Dennis and Jeffrey.  A daughter Nancy Jo died in infancy.  They were divorced in 1969.

In June of 1981, she married Joseph Brownrigg.  He died in 1989.  On April 23, 1993, she married Richard Williamson.  They made their home in Fontanelle.  Richard passed away in 2010.

Verlene retired from Adair County Public Health as a homemaker supervisor on July 1, 1993.  Before that she worked in the juvenile home in Toledo, Iowa, as a youth worker and human services in Greenfield, Iowa.  She enjoyed working with the handicap and elderly people.  She enjoyed her co-workers and especially her grandchildren, they were her prided and joy.  She volunteered at church events and the Good Samaritan Society.  She served on the Altar Guild at Emmanuel Lutheran Church for 8 years. 

Her hobbies included collecting ceramic chickens, baking pies and dancing to big band music.  She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter in infancy, Nancy Jo; and brothers, Verle, her twin, Leo and Virgil Armstrong.

She is survived by her two sons, Denny Parkis and wife Debbie of Fontanelle and Jeff Parkis and friend Juanita of Alaska; two grandsons, B.J. Parkis and wife Becky and Jason Parkis and wife Laura; 4 great grandchildren, Jasmine, Haley, Garrett and Samuel; sister-in-law, Rosie Armstrong of Greenfield; other relatives and friends.