Verla Louise (Meyers) Aldrich 98, of Belle Fourche, SD went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, October 23, 2017.

Verla was born on September 15, 1919 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to J. Frank and Hattie Meyers. Verla grew up in the Cedar Rapids/Waterloo area of Iowa. She met Rex J Aldrich, who was from Waterloo, Iowa. They were married on July 15, 1940. To this union four children were born. Reginald L. (Annie) Aldrich in 1941, Ronald O. (Norma Jean) Aldrich in 1942, Roclynn L. (Earl) Simms in 1946, all three reside in the Newcastle, CO area, and Randell J. (Sandra) Aldrich was born in 1950 and resides in St. Onge, SD.

After Rex returned home from military service (US Army) in 1945, he moved the family to Colorado.

Until her children were grown, Verla spent her life as a wife, mother and homemaker. In the early 1970's Verla worked for Dixon Electronics in Grand Junction, CO. In 1974, she and Rex moved to South Dakota, where Rex became a saddle maker and Verla learned to carve/tool leather. For the next 12 years she tooled custom saddles, belts wallets and other leather goods for the Aldrich Saddle Shop, which was owned and operated by Randy and Rex. After Rex and Verla retired, they spent winters in SD and summers in Colorado with their children and grandchildren. In 2009, at the age of 90, Verla made her first tandem Skydive. She made four more to celebrate each of her next consecutive birthdays. She fully intended to celebrate her 100th birthday with another Skydive.

Verla was preceded in death by her parents, and infant brother, older brother, Victor and Rex her husband of 67 years. She is survived by her four children, eleven grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30pm, Thursday, October 26, 2017 at Black Hills National Cemetery with Alan Loken officiating. A Celebration of Verla's Life will be held at a later date.

Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com