Obituary for Verle F. Lander (Askounes)
Verle Florendia Askounes Lander, 87, of Erie, passed away on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Sarah Reed Retirement Center. She was born in Erie on August 28, 1934, the daughter of the late Luella Delfft Askounes and Anthony Askounes.
Verle graduated from Academy High School in February 1952, where she was the head majorette and the prom queen. She was employed at GTE of Pennsylvania and George Washington College in Chicago. She taught piano and dance at Whitford Music and Dance Studio, as well as dance at Mulvey Dance Studio and Long’s School of Dance. She chaired several Celebrity Balls for the Lutheran Home and was a preschool gym teacher at the Glenwood and Eastside YMCAs for 15 years. She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Erie where she was active with the youth group, and a member of Koinonia of Erie County #134. She enjoyed traveling, reading, gardening and spending time with her family, her lifelong friends of the Friday Night Club and her AHS Class of ’52 reunion group.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, William H. Lander, III; two granddaughters, Shauna Jodon and Jaime Hedlund; one brother in infancy, Nicholas Askounes; and her sister, Vanessa "Bunny" Fleming.
Survivors include four daughters: Deborah Kohlwey (Rob) of Granby, CO, Holly Jodon (Michael), Susan Hedlund (Mark) and Jill Taccone all of Erie; nine grandchildren: Michael Jr., Mark Jr., M.J., Kenneth, Mallory, Jerah, Crystal, Tiffany and Megan; nine great-grandchildren: Kaija, Maddox, Titus, Penelope, Gabriel, Oliver, Malachi, Madelyn and Amelia; one brother, Lowell Askounes (Lois), of Girard; and many nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.
Friends may call at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Rd., on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and are invited to funeral services at St. John's Lutheran Church on Monday at 10 a.m. Masks are recommended. Burial will follow in Erie Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, 2216 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16502 or the YMCA Healthy Kids Initiative, 31 W. 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501.
Verle graduated from Academy High School in February 1952, where she was the head majorette and the prom queen. She was employed at GTE of Pennsylvania and George Washington College in Chicago. She taught piano and dance at Whitford Music and Dance Studio, as well as dance at Mulvey Dance Studio and Long’s School of Dance. She chaired several Celebrity Balls for the Lutheran Home and was a preschool gym teacher at the Glenwood and Eastside YMCAs for 15 years. She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Erie where she was active with the youth group, and a member of Koinonia of Erie County #134. She enjoyed traveling, reading, gardening and spending time with her family, her lifelong friends of the Friday Night Club and her AHS Class of ’52 reunion group.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, William H. Lander, III; two granddaughters, Shauna Jodon and Jaime Hedlund; one brother in infancy, Nicholas Askounes; and her sister, Vanessa "Bunny" Fleming.
Survivors include four daughters: Deborah Kohlwey (Rob) of Granby, CO, Holly Jodon (Michael), Susan Hedlund (Mark) and Jill Taccone all of Erie; nine grandchildren: Michael Jr., Mark Jr., M.J., Kenneth, Mallory, Jerah, Crystal, Tiffany and Megan; nine great-grandchildren: Kaija, Maddox, Titus, Penelope, Gabriel, Oliver, Malachi, Madelyn and Amelia; one brother, Lowell Askounes (Lois), of Girard; and many nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.
Friends may call at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Rd., on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and are invited to funeral services at St. John's Lutheran Church on Monday at 10 a.m. Masks are recommended. Burial will follow in Erie Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, 2216 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16502 or the YMCA Healthy Kids Initiative, 31 W. 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501.