Verona Valentine Thomas Ging, beloved mother of Nancy E. Ging (Lummi Island, Wash.) and Aaron T. Ging (Reno, Nev.), and widow of Roscoe "Rocky" L. Ging, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, at the age of 91.
Verona was born on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 1923, in Fallon, Nev. Her father was Horace "Chic" Thomas, who founded the Nevada Iron Ore Company which operated for many years near Lovelock. Verona's mother, Genevieve Rickey Thomas, taught her a love of music, literature and the arts. She also was a role model for Verona's later involvement in community organizations. Verona was pre-deceased by her one sibling, older brother Arthur H. Thomas.
While a young child, Verona's family moved often. Her father managed road and bridge construction projects along with a variety of mining ventures. Sometimes the family came along to live near the jobsite. While living near Elko, Nev., Verona described an idyllic childhood of roaming the hillsides with her brother.
Eventually the family moved to Minden, Nev., where Verona graduated from Douglas County High School in 1941. In 1943, she and a friend from Fallon took off to drive Route 66 across the country. They joined the WAVES branch of the U.S. Navy in May, 1943, and attended radio school in Oxford, Ohio. Verona served at the Naval Torpedo Station in Alexandria, Va., as a radio operator until her discharge in November 1945.
After the war she returned to the Midwest and attended college to become a hospital lab technician. While working at a hospital, Verona met Roscoe Ging during his visit with an injured friend. They married soon afterward and lived at Roscoe's home in Indiana. Their two children were born in 1951 and 1952.
Indiana's hot and humid climate was hard on Verona's health. In 1959, the family moved back to Lovelock, Nev., where Roscoe worked for Verona's father in the family iron mining business. When her children got older, Verona also worked as bookkeeper for the business for many years.
She had a multi-faceted career in Lovelock and Reno doing mostly bookkeeping and financial services. Besides Nevada Iron Ore, she worked for Lacana Mining, Ormat, First Federal Savings and Loan, First Interstate Bank, Showtime International and the U.S. Postal Service.
Verona had an active community life as a volunteer for various organizations. She was involved, often as an officer or board member, in organizations including PTA, Girl Scouts (both local and state level), Boy Scouts, Little League, the Pershing County Library, the Lovelock Elementary School's reading program, the Pershing County Senior Center, the Lovelock Animal Shelter and the Marzen House Museum. She helped during elections as a poll worker and vote counter. She was also a member of Mensa and for years was active in a women's study club which her mother had helped establish.
One of Verona's treasured pastimes was traveling anywhere to sight-see or attend an opera. She also loved to do various kinds of handicrafts. She was an accomplished baker and once won the purple grand champion's ribbon at an Indiana County Fair for her peach pie.
Verona cared for two of her aunts in Lovelock during their final years. She was a devout and active Christian with a strong service ethic.
In her last years, Verona suffered from dementia and was receiving care at Highland Village in Fallon when she passed away. The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff of Highland for their thoughtful and compassionate care.
Verona is survived by her daughter Nancy Ging, her son Aaron Ging, her granddaughter Joan Ging and her great-grandson Samuel Ging.
In lieu of services, the family asks that memorial contributions be sent to Pershing County Marzen House Museum, PO Box 452, Lovelock, NV 89419, or Friends of the Library, PO Box 781, Lovelock, NV 89419.
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