Verma Hearns

A Celebration of Life’s Journey To love someone more dearly every day, To help a wondering child to find the way, To ponder o’er a noble thought and pray and smile when evening falls This is my task God in his divine love gave the late Will and Bertha Durr their darling daughter Verma, born in Bessemer, Al. The baby girl to a loving family of one brother, was nurtured and cherished, amid the love surrounding the home she grew. To follow the truth as blind men long for light. To do my best from dawn of day till night To keep my heart fit for his Holy sight and answer when he calls This is my task God was good to Verma, life was good to her. In return she gave herself and her love to life. And their my Savior bye and bye To meet when faith has made their task on earth complete And lay my homage to my master but within the Jasper Walls This crown my task At the age of nine, after being active in Sunday school and the youth choir. She felt a deeper need for her faith in God and joined the Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church under the leadership of the late Rev. J. S. Brown. It was at this time she began her growth in Christianity. There she served faithfully as a loyal member. She was a member of the #1 Steward Board. Secretary of the #1 Usher Board, 1st Vice President of the Missionary Society. Assistant Teacher of the Bro. Will Loper Sunday School Class. Life member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Women’s Missionary Society, Delegate to the General Conference in 2000 and 2004; First Alternate Delegate in 2008. Verma also shared life with her family and friends. She received her education in the Bessemer, and Jefferson County School Systems. She retired from Compass Bank after many years of loyal service. God blessed her with a loving and caring husband Willie James Hearns, Sr., her high school sweetheart, who she met and married at a young age. She was proceeded in death by her oldest son Willie James Hearns, Jr. and her brother Gene “Sonny” Durr. Her memories will also be cherished by her daughter, Janice (Ronald) Orange, her son, Gil (Sharon) Hearns, Sr. The love and joys of her life, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren: Marvin D’Wayne Leatherwood, Jr., Autumn Marie Johnson, Corey, Amaya & Bria Hooper. One Special Aunt Susie Shuford of Riverside, California. Sister- in- Laws Orta Bell Hearns of Birmingham, Al., Anita (Frank) Burnett of Saginaw, Michigan and Dorthy Durr of Atlanta, Ga., Her nephew Keith Durr, nieces Adrianne (Manus) Caldwell, Deirdre Pearson, her beloved pet Chip Hearns, her loving Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church family and friends.