Vernetta Grantham, age 91 of Lemmon, passed away on Friday, January 1, 2021 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND.

The Funeral Service for Vernetta will be held at 2:00pm Monday, January 11, 2021 at the New Hope Worship Center in Lemmon.  Pastor Rand Bentley will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery at Lemmon.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 10, from 1:00 to 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Vernette was born on November 15, 1929 to Eva Vera Anderson and Merrill Ruben Jackson in the Sixtus Ericsson house near the Selma Post Office/ Hardware Store.  This store was also the home of Eva's Mother, Anna Marie Skibbie Anderson.  Vernette was brought into the world by a mid-wife Ellen Ericsson; wife of Sixtus Ericsson.  Later Merrill and Eva moved with Vernette to a 320 acre farmstead 5 miles west of Selma which he purchased from the Heuple Family.  While there Marilyn her sister was born.  After a few years the Family moved to another farmstead, which Merrill purchased from an Uncle, a couple of miles east of this location.  They built a new house to live in and moved the old house from the Heuple location to use as a garage.  Vernette lived her early years in this home, while attending grade school and high school in Lemmon, SD.  After graduating from High School, Vernette entered College at Dickinson, ND where she earn a certificate for teaching.  She returned to her dad's farmstead after securing a job as a teacher for grades 1-8 at the Schradder Number 2 School, one mile east of her Fathers Farmstead.

At the age of 33, Vernette caught the eye of her future husband Irvin Grantham from Turtle Lake, ND.  Irvin would travel to see his future bride with his friend John Ericsson of Washburn, ND.  John would furnish the car and Irvin would furnish the gas and money needed to go see their sweethearts in the Lemmon, SD area.  They would join forces to see their special ladies every two weeks.  They did this for about 8 months, until they persuaded the ladies to marry them.  On August 23, 1964, Vernette and Irvin were joined in Holy Matrimony at the Lemmon Church of God.  They moved frequently over the course of the next several years, until they finally settled down in 1974 in their long time home at 902 7 ^th Avenue West in Lemmon, SD.

Vernette's life was centered on and around her two boys. Ezra and Michael were the light of her life.  She also valued time with extended family.  Vernette was well versed in the histories of many of the families who lived in Lemmon and the surrounding areas.  If given the opportunity, she enjoyed sharing her wealth of knowledge about many topics, including nutrition, cooking, and the family histories.

Vernette was preceded in death by her husband Irvin Grantham, and her parents Merrill and Eva Jackson, sister Marilyn Roesch and a nephew Douglas Roesch.

Vernette is survived by her sons Ezra Grantham (DeeAnn) Lemmon, SD and Michael Grantham Granger, IN; granddaughters Casey and Taylor Grantham; and a niece Pamala Keim.

Cards can be mailed to Ezra Grantham, 607 2 ^nd St W., Lemmon, SD  57638.