Janet Leona Vernier of Piedmont, Oklahoma, peacefully entered her eternal rest with God on December 24, 2023, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was born to Harvey and Gladys (Quidort) King on January 5, 1935, in Mill Creek Township, Williams County, Ohio. She was a graduate of Chesterfield High School in Ohio.
Janet married Duane Owen Vernier, who was the love of her life, on May 20, 1955. Their marriage life verse was Joshua 24:15 “… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Janet worked at Ohio Art Company in Bryan, Ohio, and then as a teacher’s aide in the Morenci Public School system in Morenci, Michigan. In 1986, Janet and Duane moved to Bethany, Oklahoma, and were blessed with the opportunity to work together at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene for many years prior to retirement.
Duane and Jan were blessed with six children who they raised in Morenci, Michigan. Her children and family were extremely important to her, and she always looked forward to special times when the family would get together. Her family was truly one of her passions.
She enjoyed family vacations, gardening, reading, and building puzzles. She also enjoyed being able to spend time in Branson, Missouri, prior to retiring. She was a lifetime member of the Church of the Nazarene and an avid reader of the Bible with an unwavering faith in God. For many years she developed the Christmas and Easter service programs for Morenci Church of the Nazarene which were enjoyed by many people in the church and community.
She is survived by her husband, Duane; sons, Reginald Vernier of Newton, IL, Stephen Vernier (Rebecca) of Yukon, OK, Ricky Vernier of Woodstock, VA; daughters, Cynthia Vernier of Piedmont, OK, Pamela (Michael) Schafer of El Reno, OK, and Douglas (Donna) Vernier of Warr Acres, OK. Grandchildren; Veronica Vernier, Kimberly Vernier, Andrew Vernier (Tara), Austin Vernier, Travis Vernier, Tiffany Vernier, Tabitha (Vernier) Ferris (Ben), Shawn Vernier, Christopher Schafer (Jami), Melissa (Schafer) Morris (Tyler), Sarah Vernier (Corbin Brown), and Rachel Vernier, Great-grandchildren; Isabel Martell, Alena Whetherholt, Leo Vernier, Xander Vernier, Ricky Ferris, Jasmine Ferris, Elizabeth Ferris, Arianna Ferris, Merida Ferris; Jasymne Gurley-Dungan, and Jack Morris. Janet was looking forward to the birth of a new great-grandson, Baby Morris, due in February 2024.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Gladys King, and her siblings; Gerald King, Marlene Mock Moriarity, and her twin sister, Janette Vernier; as well as her daughter-in-law, Lorie O. Vernier.
Visitation was December 27, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with the family receiving guests from 5-6 p.m. at Mercer-Adams Funeral Service in Bethany, Oklahoma. The funeral will take place on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Bethany at 10 am. Rev. Jim Hill will be officiating. Interment will be at Bethany Cemetery.
