Verna M. Beardsley, age 99 of Rochelle died on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at the DeKalb Area Retirement Center. She was born on January 14, 1908 in Chicago, IL the daughter of Arthur and Aileen (Vognild) Melum. In 1915, she moved with her parents and brother Arthur, to a farm at Dawson, MN, where she attended rural school and then upper grades and high school. She obtained a B.A. degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in 1930, a B.S. in Library Science in 1936, and a B.S. in Library Science in 1936 and a M.A. in 1957 from the University of Minnesota. She taughter English and Latin in Chokio and Granite Falls and was a school librarian in Granite Falls and in Stillwater, MN. She then served as a member of the professional library staff at Stephens College in Columbia, MO for eleven years and at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL for 15 years. While on sabbatical leave in 1969, she visited over fifty college and university libraries from coast to coast, conferring with them on the subject of library orientation and instruction. She has had several articles published in national library periodicals. She has been an active member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist of Columbia and the same of DeKalb, and of Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Lambda State.

In 1972 she retired from Northern Illinois University and married John Whetson Beardsley. They lived on his farm near Steward, IL for 13 years and then moved to the nearby town of Rochelle. John preceded her on July 7, 1991. Verna is happy to have a step-family of two daughters: Joanna (James) Kemper of Compton, IL and Jacqueline (Bob) Eckhardt of Rochelle; 4 grandchildren: Melissa (Pat) Frankfother, Bradley (Tiffany) Kemper, Camden (Melissa) Eckhardt and Meradith Eckhardt Wheeler; and 9 great grandchildren.

Cremation rites were arranged by Unger-Horner Funeral Home and burial will be at Steward Cemetery. A family memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the First Church of Christ, Scientist of DeKalb or the Kay Walker Library Scholarship of Founder's Library at Northern Illinois University.