Verna Jean Cederstrom

My mother, Verna Jean Bradford Cederstrom, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 19.  For the last 9 years she has been a resident at the Villages of Jackson Creek. She had just turn 94 on March 3.

Mother was born on March 3, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois.  She was abandoned by her father at birth and was raised by her mother, my grandmother, Olga, in Springfield, Missouri. Early in her life mother showed a well developed talent for art. During church she would sketch the pulpit and rostrum on the back of the church bulletin. Later, her drawings would illustrate both her high school and college yearbooks.  She graduated from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State) with a degree in Sociology.  She dreamed of becoming a social worker and working with the United Nations.  After attending college in Springfield she moved to Kansas City, Missouri to pursue her master's degree at Kansas University.

It was there that she met a young Navy officer on a blind date. Just 4 months later she married Carl D. Cederstrom.  Verna and Carl raised two sons, me and my brother, Thoric. In 1964, they would adopt two more children, Leif and Sven.

Mother was prolific artist.  There was not hardly any art medium in which she didn't pursue.  She sketched in pencil, charcoal, pens, crayons, and pastel chalks. She painted in oils, acrylics and water colors. She sculpted with clay and even carved wood.  Her favorite medium was painting porcelain china and dolls. She shared that passion with many close friends and colleagues. She would sign her works - Verna J Bradford. 

Verna was equally passionate about being a life long member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Baptized at the age of 8 at the Springfield, Mo. Branch, she held membership at several branches and congregations of the RLDS Church:  Second Church, Binghamton, NY, Stewartsville, Blue Springs, Parkview, Blue Springs Restoration Branch, South Crysler Restoration Branch. Living Hope Restoration Branch was Verna's last Branch membership. In high school, she taught the junior high Sunday school class and the junior high class at Second Church where she influenced many lives. Verna enjoyed decades of teaching classes at many church youth camps and church family reunions. Central to what she taught was the church's visio of the Kingdom of God on earth, Zion.  She continued as a faithful member even up to her later years where she served as a manager of the Sunday School resource room at the South Crysler Restoration Branch. 

There are many more things that I could write about my mother.  She loved gardening, both flowers and vegetables. Her passion for the arts, gardening and our church continues to have place in my heart, and always a part of my life. It was not only an honor to have her as a mother, but as a friend and life-long servant in the Lord's vineyard. Her love and her passion will forever abide in our home.