AMBOY, WA (May 3, 2010) – A memorial service will be conducted on Wednesday for Virginia Verme who with her husband, Robert, served for 23 years as missionaries in Japan beginning in 1949.

The service will begin at 2 p.m. at Charter Oak Evangelical Free Church, 12212 NE 299th Street, Battle Ground, Washington. A private committal will take place in Amboy Cemetery.

Virginia (Palm) Verme was born in Portland, Oregon, on February 7, 1922, and died April 29.

She attended Franklin High School in Portland. Following one year working in Portland, she enrolled in nurses training at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, passing her state board exam in 1944.  She returned to Portland where she worked as a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Virginia met Robert when he came to serve as an intern pastor at her church, First Covenant. They were married in 1946 and began training for missionary service in Japan. In 1949, they sailed to Japan with their one-year-old son, Bobby.

Following the family’s return to the United States, the couple ministered in two churches in Southern California. In 1978 they moved to Yacolt, Washington, and served the Yacolt Evangelical Free Church for two years and later did ministry at Charter Oak Community Church in Battle Ground.

In 1981 they purchased a home and relocated to Amboy. Following Robert’s retirement, Virginia worked as a care center nurse in La Center, Washington.

In addition to her husband, survivors include a son, Robert (Joan) Verme of Fukuoka, Japan; a daughter, Esther (Steve) Alfrey of Amboy; six grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.  Virginia was preceded in death by her daughter, Beverly Takenaga.