Verna Marie Stasch

Verna Marie (Linenbrink) Stasch lived a life defined by faith, family, perseverance, compassion and gratitude for the people she loved. 

Verna was born July 26, 1936, in a farmhouse near Callaway, Nebraska, the tenth of thirteen children born to Henry and Margaret (Brosius) Linenbrink. She spent her childhood in rural Nebraska, first on the family farm and later on a ranch near Merriman. She began her education at age five in a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from St. Agnes Academy in Alliance, Nebraska, in 1953 at just 16 years old. 

She attended St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Minot, North Dakota, and graduated in 1956 at age 19. She began her career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. She took particular pride in mentoring nine vocational students while she was a nurse at the Gordon Memorial Hospital (Gordon, NE), all of whom went on to become nurses. Verna a remarkable 46-year career as a Registered Nurse, including 18 years as a Director of Nursing Services in long term care. Nursing was more than a profession to Verna; caring for others was simply part of who she was. 

Verna married Daniel Stasch in 1962, moved to Denver, CO and they had two children, Michael and Mary. In the years that followed, Verna balanced a full-time nursing career with raising her children, always working to provide them with a loving and stable home. She considered raising her children as one of the greatest accomplishments and blessings of her life. 

Her family later grew to include her “favorite son-in-law” Mike, her “favorite daughter-in-law” Julie, and five grandsons; Nick, Shane, Andy, Adam and Robbie - who were her pride and joy. She treasured caring for them when they were young and watching them grow into the fine young men they are today. Her grandsons will fondly remember Grandma’s banana bread, pies, brownies and runzas - and the special way she always managed to spoil them just a little. 

Throughout her life, Verna had a gift for forming lasting friendships, beginning with those she met during nurses training and continuing everywhere her nursing career took her. Many of those friendships endured for decades. 

Her life was not without challenges, but she met them with strength, faith and a positive spirit. She survived breast cancer twice and faced chronic pain in her later years, yet she continued to find gratitude and joy in the life and family she loved.

 Faith, family and friendships remained at the center of Verna’s life. A lifelong Catholic, she relied on her faith through both joyful and difficult times and prayed faithfully for the people she loved. Verna was a longtime parishioner of St. Mark Catholic Church in Westminster and served on the Grief Ministry team for several years. She believed in treating others as you would want to be treated, showing kindness and gratitude, working hard and helping others whenever possible. 

Verna was smart, practical, frugal, generous and wonderfully funny. She had an extraordinary memory and could recall stories, dates and details with an accuracy that amazed everyone who knew her. She had a quick wit that often appeared at just the right moment. She appreciated life’s simple pleasures: attending her grandsons’ year-around sporting events, growing and tending to her flower gardens, a phone call, visiting the family ranch in Eli, NE, Sunday Mass, dinner together and, above all, time with her family. 

Several years ago, Verna wrote a collection of stories about her life. When asked how she hoped to be remembered, her answer was simple: as a caring and loving mother, grandmother, friend and sibling. 

Verna is survived by her son, Michael (Julie) Stasch; her daughter, Mary (Michael) Tilger; her grandsons, Nick (Elly), Andy and Robbie Stasch, and Shane and Adam (Ashley) Tilger; her sister, Sister Joan Linenbrink, O.S.F of Alliance, NE; and several nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Margaret Linenbrink; her brothers, John, Vince, Bill, Nick and Jim; and her sisters, Mary Snyder, Sister Cecilia Linenbrink, O.S.F., Jo Marshall, Kate Linenbrink, Henri Linenbrink and Clara Linenbrink. 

Verna’s family is deeply grateful to the staff at Collier Hospice Center for the compassionate care, kindness and dignity they showed Verna, and for the support they provided to our family. 

Funeral services will be Tuesday, September 15th at St. Mark Catholic Church, 3141 W 96th Ave, Westminster, CO 80031 with Rev. Kenneth Koehler officiating. Rosary at 10:30 am and Funeral Mass at 11:00 am. Cremation will follow the services with inurnment at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Cemetery in Merriman, Nebraska at a later date.