Verna M. Batton

November 17, 1941 - September 27, 2020

Verna Mae Caltine Batton 78, of Peoria, IL passed away at 11:48 peacefully at her home on September 27, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. Verna was born on November 17, 1941 in Sherrill, AR to Jack Dunbar and Lorene McGregor. Verna worked as a Case Manager with South Side Office of Concern and The Phoenix House until she retired in July, 2007. Verna was involved in numerous organizations throughout the years: Community Action Agency, The Boys and Girls Club, PCCEO, Peoria Human Resource Council, PHA where she was the Tenant Council President, voters registration, Peoria School board, Head Start and the NAACP. Verna received her educational degrees in Milwaukee, WI. Verna, loved cooking and baking, feeding anyone who stopped by, watching any and all sports especially her Lakers and her Bears, cracking jokes, giving advice, sewing, doing crafts and especially playing spades. Verna leaves to cherish her most precious gifts: her six children ~ Anthony (Eva), Harold (Sonia), Jeffrey (Monika), Ronald, Larry, and her baby girl Trina; her aunt ~ Ruby Dunbar; her bonus children ~ Michael (Michelle) Citchen, Darrel Wilkerson, Lacey Lawson, Nicholas and Lorenzo Hines, Calvin Lindsey, Leslie Burrows, Brian Jones (BJ), Kenny Anderson, Howard Kenard, Keith Humbles, Gerald Ford, Derrick Pearson, Alatin Wright, Dural Bond, Willie Irby (Jr), Tony Drummond, Maurice Chandler, Alan Hughes, Ginny Hardy, Chassidy Jackson, Lisa Batton, Melissa Adams, Delaney Isadore, Chrystal Bryant and LaToya Townsend; her sister’s ~ Deborah (Ricky) Clark, Patricia Hendricks, Betty (Stanley) Humphrey, Barbara Hines, Mary Hendricks; cousins ~ Lawrence (Patricia) McGregor; her honorary sister’s ~ Myrtis Younger (Theodore), Gayle Adams, Norma Reiplinger, Nancy Billings (Leslie), Patricia (JW) Wright and Mary Welch; her honorary brothers ~ Chester Lee (Azzilee) Parks, William (Linda) Hardy, Pete Hardy and Elijah Hardy; her adopted into families ~ Mary Hughes and family, William (Linda) Hardy and family and Earnest (Mildred) Batton; her grandchildren ~ Jacoby, Candace, Andrea, Macarria, Zsabri, Kamar, D’Amonti, Qiana, Jalesa, Malayia, Nataea, Elijah, Larry Jr. (Diea) and Prince (Bootsy); eight great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who loved her dearly. Special thanks to all of the nursing staff who cared for Verna from Texas to Illinois including Cheryl Hayes and Michelle Adams. Verna was preceded in death by her parents, her three brothers, Calvin, David Jr., Kendall; sister, Theresa; Verna’s uncle, Amos and aunt, Henrietta who raised her in Milwaukee, WI; her uncle, Edgar (Mahalia) McGregor who raised her in Pine Bluff, AR; her special uncle, Elijah McGregor and her honorary sisters, Betty Wilson and Brenda Code.