ANNA VEBER

ROFF-Services for Anna Marie Veber, 85, Roff, are 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Kent Kelso will officiate. Burial will follow at East Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Veber died Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at a Sulphur nursing home. She was born October 17, 1923 at Bonya, Hungary to Phillip and Anna Presher Walder.

She married Karl Veber on June 22, 1946 in Hungary. After a five year trek across Europe, the family made their way to the German coast line, where they boarded a ship in February, 1952 to go to America. Karl worked on the ship to help pay for their passage. The trip took two weeks.

Anna's parents were also immigrating to North America. Anna and her family were separated from her parents when they arrived at the German coast. Her parents were sent to Ontario, Canada where they settled in Kitchener with several other Hungarian families.

The Veber family's immigration was made possible due to sponsorship by the Catholic Church Displaced Persons Bureau program. Elmer and Cleo Davis of Roff were the family's assigned sponsor. The Veber family arrived at the Port of New Orleans where they traveled by bus to Roff. The family spoke Hungarian, German, Czech and Russian, but no English. The family lived in Roff where they were employed by the Davis family.

While working for the Davis', the family learned to speak English. The family moved to Stonewall in 1952, to Latta in 1956 and back to Roff in 1958. Mrs. Veber was employed as a housekeeper and also a janitor for the Mid Continent Glass and Sand Company for 15 years. Later, she owned a ceramics shop in her home.

The family lived in Roff for the past 56 years. Karl Veber, her husband of 31 years, died on November 11, 1977.

Anna was named Roff's 1998 Citizen of the Year and was honored in the Oktoberfest Parade and received a plaque commemorating the event.

Survivors include her four children, Emmerich Veber and wife Norma, Roff, Karl Veber, Roff, Helen Barnes and husband Mike, Boise City, OK, and Rosa Bradford and husband John, Troup, TX; seven grandchildren, Maria Veber, St. Cloud, MN, Michele Sussner and husband Randy, Plymouth, MN, Elizabeth Veber, Roff, Rocky Barnes and wife Dana, Bethany, Sheila Stinson and husband Preston, Oklahoma City, Amanda Kelso and husband Clark, Ada, and Michael Bradford, Ada; six great granchildren, Brandon Veber, Aidan, Jake and Devan Sussner, and Warren and Charlet Barnes.

Bearers will be her sons, Emmerich Veber, Karl Veber, and grandsons, Rocky Barnes, Preston Stinson, Michael Bradford, and Clark Kelso. Honorary bearer will be Tommy Higdon.

Criswell Funeral Home, Ada