Obituary for Vera Maude Gerhart Foulke
November 13, 1924 – May 23, 2012
Vera Gerhart Foulke, 87, died early Wednesday morning in Florida after a brief bout with cancer. She was born on a homesteaded farm to the late Doran and Vera Gerhart, November 13, 1924 in Glensted, MO. Her early schooling was in a one room schoolhouse that she rode to and from on horseback when the snow was too high to walk. She graduated from Versailles High School before heading to Business College in Warrensburg in 1943. With World War II concluding, she found work as an administrative secretary with various federal agencies and eventually with the Federal Aviation Administration where, at the ripe old age of 35, she met and married her first and only love, Frank Foulke, and his adorable 7 year old son Glenn. Already friends with Marge and Dave Finke from her single days in Kansas City who had recently purchased a house at Lake Lotawana, Vera helped convince Frank to buy the house at H-9 shortly after their marriage in 1960 where they lived until 1982.
Vera loved her role as Lake Wife and Mother. Based on how much fun she was having Frank often quipped “I want to die and be reincarnated as a Lotawana Housewife!” She learned to sail shortly after the Barnett Boat Company introduced their new boat, the Butterfly, to the lake. Glenn had taken the promotional Junior Sailing classes sponsored by the Lyons and Coats families who lived up the cove in H block, and soon Glenn, Frank and Vera were all hooked. Vera was quick to join the group of ladies who were starting the Social Butterflies on Wednesday and remained an active part of that group until she left the lake. She was always so proud that her daughter-in-law Lori Foulke followed in her footsteps 25 years later! Vera was also a constant fixture supporting the Junior Butterfly fleet, first with Glenn and then a few years later when I was born. I remember learning to sail at the breakfast table with the knives being the boats and the salt and pepper shakers being the buoys. The Senior Butterfly fleet also benefitted from her constant support. She was organizer, party-master, trophy-maker, and scrapbook-keeper for all three of these fleets.
Those who went to Mason Elementary in the mid to late sixties might also remember Vera Foulke as “The Picture Lady.” This was a program she put together with her friends Marge Finke and Heather Fowler where each month they would pick an artist (Matisse, Homer, etc), bring a famous piece by them into the classroom and teach kids about the artist’s life and works.
Vera was a hard-working free spirit. Not only was she active she was volunteering for the Mental Health Association of SW Jackson County for over ten years (as a weekly volunteer, plus helping them in their fundraising campaign “Buy A Brick” to build a new facility), she was first on the block to serve tofu after reading “Diet for a Small Planet”, wrote passionate letters to the editor to defend Glenn’s right to perform in the LSHS Concert Choir with “long hair” in the late 1960’s, and as late as the 1990’s marched in pro-choice rallies.
In retirement, Vera continued to enjoy her close ties to Lake Lotawana, often hosting or cruising with friends from the lake first on their live-aboard sailboat, Vera Crews, and then at their home in North Fort Myers. Vera took to live-aboard life nervously, but once she realized there were cocktail party opportunities with fellow cruisers, she started enjoying the live-aboard life. They cruised the Inter-coastal Waterway from Florida to as far north as the Chesapeake Bay and made one trip to the Bahama Islands. They would often meet up with Bea & Wink Cantrell aboard Playgirl and enjoy when Bob or Pam would be aboard too. After 6 years of the transient life, they found a small home on a canal in North Ft. Myers where they could keep Vera Crews docked out back and joined the Cape Coral Sailing Club where Vera could again work her magic helping Frank plan and carry out fabulous “cruises” with other club members to various ports in Florida.
The vitality, quick laugh, and welcoming smile that Vera brought to all the communities to which she belonged is what she will be most remembered for. Glenn and I will remember her for her unconditional love, unwavering support, and the happy childhood she created for us. Her pride in us gave us wings to fly.
Vera is survived by her husband Frank (92); son Glenn Foulke of Lake Lotawana, MO, his wife Lori and their daughters Elena and Mariel; and daughter Lisa Foulke Pline of Annapolis, MD, her husband Alex and their daughters Lexi and Ellie. She is also survived by sister June Beck of Leawood, KS and brother John William Gerhart of San Diego, CA and their children Jim Beck of Shawnee, KS, Bill Gerhart of San Diego, CA, and Tammy Gerhart Gavito of Houston, TX. Her sister Doris Burgess of Cushing, OK and her daughters preceded Vera in death, but she is remembered by grand-niece Heather Pfarr of Tulsa, OK.
In lieu of flowers, Vera requested donations be made to Planned Parenthood, Hope Hospice of Florida, or the charity of the donor’s choice. An online memorial can be found at www.verafoulke.com. A private burial will be in Glensted, MO at a future date.
Vera loved her role as Lake Wife and Mother. Based on how much fun she was having Frank often quipped “I want to die and be reincarnated as a Lotawana Housewife!” She learned to sail shortly after the Barnett Boat Company introduced their new boat, the Butterfly, to the lake. Glenn had taken the promotional Junior Sailing classes sponsored by the Lyons and Coats families who lived up the cove in H block, and soon Glenn, Frank and Vera were all hooked. Vera was quick to join the group of ladies who were starting the Social Butterflies on Wednesday and remained an active part of that group until she left the lake. She was always so proud that her daughter-in-law Lori Foulke followed in her footsteps 25 years later! Vera was also a constant fixture supporting the Junior Butterfly fleet, first with Glenn and then a few years later when I was born. I remember learning to sail at the breakfast table with the knives being the boats and the salt and pepper shakers being the buoys. The Senior Butterfly fleet also benefitted from her constant support. She was organizer, party-master, trophy-maker, and scrapbook-keeper for all three of these fleets.
Those who went to Mason Elementary in the mid to late sixties might also remember Vera Foulke as “The Picture Lady.” This was a program she put together with her friends Marge Finke and Heather Fowler where each month they would pick an artist (Matisse, Homer, etc), bring a famous piece by them into the classroom and teach kids about the artist’s life and works.
Vera was a hard-working free spirit. Not only was she active she was volunteering for the Mental Health Association of SW Jackson County for over ten years (as a weekly volunteer, plus helping them in their fundraising campaign “Buy A Brick” to build a new facility), she was first on the block to serve tofu after reading “Diet for a Small Planet”, wrote passionate letters to the editor to defend Glenn’s right to perform in the LSHS Concert Choir with “long hair” in the late 1960’s, and as late as the 1990’s marched in pro-choice rallies.
In retirement, Vera continued to enjoy her close ties to Lake Lotawana, often hosting or cruising with friends from the lake first on their live-aboard sailboat, Vera Crews, and then at their home in North Fort Myers. Vera took to live-aboard life nervously, but once she realized there were cocktail party opportunities with fellow cruisers, she started enjoying the live-aboard life. They cruised the Inter-coastal Waterway from Florida to as far north as the Chesapeake Bay and made one trip to the Bahama Islands. They would often meet up with Bea & Wink Cantrell aboard Playgirl and enjoy when Bob or Pam would be aboard too. After 6 years of the transient life, they found a small home on a canal in North Ft. Myers where they could keep Vera Crews docked out back and joined the Cape Coral Sailing Club where Vera could again work her magic helping Frank plan and carry out fabulous “cruises” with other club members to various ports in Florida.
The vitality, quick laugh, and welcoming smile that Vera brought to all the communities to which she belonged is what she will be most remembered for. Glenn and I will remember her for her unconditional love, unwavering support, and the happy childhood she created for us. Her pride in us gave us wings to fly.
Vera is survived by her husband Frank (92); son Glenn Foulke of Lake Lotawana, MO, his wife Lori and their daughters Elena and Mariel; and daughter Lisa Foulke Pline of Annapolis, MD, her husband Alex and their daughters Lexi and Ellie. She is also survived by sister June Beck of Leawood, KS and brother John William Gerhart of San Diego, CA and their children Jim Beck of Shawnee, KS, Bill Gerhart of San Diego, CA, and Tammy Gerhart Gavito of Houston, TX. Her sister Doris Burgess of Cushing, OK and her daughters preceded Vera in death, but she is remembered by grand-niece Heather Pfarr of Tulsa, OK.
In lieu of flowers, Vera requested donations be made to Planned Parenthood, Hope Hospice of Florida, or the charity of the donor’s choice. An online memorial can be found at www.verafoulke.com. A private burial will be in Glensted, MO at a future date.