Faith sustains

Valley centenarian

September 23, 2005

DAWN DE BUSK/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - During her 104 years of living on Earth, Grace Verver has seen telephones, automobiles, televisions, computers and cell phones emerge into existence. Despite all the static and extraneous information most people try to sift out, Verver has managed to streamline her life and quiet her mind by focusing on the word of God.

"So many things take our mind away from God. We make life complicated. We only need to listen to Jesus," Verver said, in the living room of her daughter's Lazy Mountain home, where she lives.

"It is so simple that we are confused about it," she said, sitting in her wheelchair with her Bible on her lap. "It is so easy to get to heaven."

Verver - known as Grandma Grace to many - turned 104 on Sept. 11. She stopped embroidering Bible verses shortly after she turned 100, said her daughter, Joan Alexander.

"Little by little, things drop away. She quit doing needlework a few years ago," Alexander said.

Now, as much as ever, the native of Baarn, Holland, spends her time reading the Bible and evangelizing to her care providers at Respect Your Elders, the senior day-care center she attends on weekdays.

Last Sunday, Verver spent the evening reading the book of Matthew, Alexander said. After two hours, she didn't want to stop studying the New Testament. Her daughter finally succeeded in reasoning with her that it was getting too late. Verver reluctantly retired.

"The birth of Jesus was told," Verver said. "They hated him and wanted to kill him. He came for one reason only, to save us. It's the most important message ever told."

During her lifetime, Verver has devoted her life to sharing the message of Jesus' love and willingness to accept anyone into his fold. In 1963, she published a book describing her nursing experiences in Holland, prior to her marriage.

The short stories compile small miracles she witnessed, proof of her Savior's existence in her patients' acts of faith.

For example, one story tells of a little girl who went blind from the pressure of a brain tumor that also shortened her life. In the hospital, the little girl asked Verver about heaven. Praying together, the child decided she was unafraid of death, and asked God to allow her vision to be restored so she could see her parents one more time before dying.

Verver visited the family at their home only minutes after the girl died. The mother told Verver the child could see again and then saw Jesus coming to get her. Her mom said the little girl was so happy, it was hard to be sorrowful about her death because she went to heaven with Jesus, according to an excerpt from "Memories of a Nurse."

Despite penning her experiences and writing a religious tract that has been published in several languages, reading books - other than the Bible - has never interested Verver, nor does watching television.

"It doesn't make any difference. I don't care about TV," Verver said.

In fact, Alexander's parents never owned a television, never had one in their home. In 1977, when Verver's husband was dying of cancer, friends gave him a television, hoping it would help him pass the time.

All he wanted to do was spend time praying, Alexander said.

Verver said she has little use for the world's literature.

"If you go to the library, there are so many books. Books, books, books, all stacked up. We'll never have the chance to read them all, not in a lifetime. We can read the Bible. Jesus is the answer," Verver said. "Jesus settles all the questions. Jesus closes all the books."

Although her fingers no longer can recreate verses from the Bible, Verver easily recites her favorites.

As a centenarian, Verver has seen exponential changes in the world and many modern conveniences invented. Still, she refuses to be a historian of this century. "All that's past. It's all in the past. Look to the future," Verver said. "All I need to know is what I am doing for Jesus."

Travel back 65 years ago, to 1940. Verver and her husband, William, came to New York from Holland. Then, they took a cross-country journey via Greyhound bus to Los Angeles. Verver, several months pregnant with Alexander and her twin, Mary, suffered severe morning sickness during most of the trip to their new home in north Hollywood.

About three years later, the twins sang gospel songs for crop workers in the cotton fields - kicking off Saturday night Bible meetings in southern California, Alexander said.

Verver taught her daughters the words of songs she remembered while William introduced the melodies to the twins. William also wrote songs.

The whole family would evangelize, Alexander said. The cotton pickers loved the music performed by the two tiny girls, she said.

"Grandma Grace doesn't talk much about the past. Whenever I ask, she says the present and the future is important," Alexander said.

Looking forward to the future, Verver has expressed excitement about her belated birthday celebrations, Alexander said. Alexander's twin sister, Mary, will arrive in Alaska next week to join four generations of the family, including Verver's great-grandchildren, Amber, 1, and Genesis, 3.

Dawn De Busk can be reached at 352-2252, or dawn.debusk@ frontiersman.com.