Verna Poitra, age 78 of Dunseith died Sunday, October 20, 2019 at a Belcourt hospital.  Her funeral will be held on Friday at 10:00 am at the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Dunseith.  Her wake will be on Thursday beginning at 4:00 pm with a service at 7:00 pm at the church.

Verna is the daughter of the late James and Mildred (Allery) Delorme. Verna was born on October 13, 1941 in Belcourt, North Dakota. She married Clarence Willard Poitra on April 4, 1959. They were married for eighteen years and had seven children. When their marriage ended, Verna continued to work and raise her children on her own. Verna attended school first thru sixth grade at the Dunseith Day School. She attended seventh grade in Chamberlain, South Dakota. When she returned home, she attended eight grade at the Dunseith Day School. Verna continued her education at the Belcourt High School finishing ninth and tenth grade prior to her marriage.

Verna  was a hard worker her whole life. She started working at San Haven State Hospital until it's closure in December 1989. Verna then went to work at the Turtle Mountain Corporation in June 1990 and worked there until she retired in December of 2010. Prior to that, her life revolved around raising and caring for her seven children.

Verna loved to play Bingo. She often attended  Bingo with her sister Betty and her two nieces, Betty Jean and Debbie. At home, she enjoyed working at crossword  and puzzles, Yahtzee and Chase The Ace, with her children, Bryan and Foxie. Of all things she liked to do, what she loved the most was spending time with her family. She loved traveling with them, going to casinos on the weekends, and cooking for them on holidays. She always insisted on cooking for the holidays, even when she struggled to move around. These things made her very happy.

Verna is survived by six of her seven children, Verna Marie Poitra, Karen (George) Short, Bryan Poitra, Debra Poitra all of Dunseith, Willard Poitra (Julie) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Cathy (Emil) Bradford of Minot, North Dakota; and one Son-In-Law, Willis Hanks of Auburn Hills, Michigan; 14 Grandchildren and 20 Great-Grandchildren.

Verna is preceded in death by her parents, Mildred Allery Delorme and James (Jimmy) Delorme; her maternal grandparents, Samuel Allery and Mary Langer Allery; and her paternal grandparents, Joseph and Liza Gunville Delorme;  her six siblings, baby brother Clifford, Betty Peltier, Leona Poitra, Leonard Delorme, Doris Gunville and Larry Delorme; her daughter, Judy Lynn Hanks and grandson, Thomas James  Parisien.