Vera Mae Wicker, 69, of 1120 10th Ave S., Clear Lake, passed away Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, Minn.  A funeral service was held Monday, March 10, at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Mason City, Iowa with Pastor Mark Luckiesh officiating.  Interment was held at the Clear Lake Cemetery. 
    Memorials may be given to the Clear Lake Central Gardens, The Association to Preserve Clear Lake, P.O. Box 54, Clear Lake, IA or the Susan G. Koman for the Cure (Breast Cancer Foundation), P.O. Box 650309, Dallas,TX   75265-0309, as an “In Memory of Vera M Wicker” gift.  That email address is www.komen.org [1].
      Vera was born Aug. 18, 1938 in Pisgah, Ala., the daughter of James and Lizzie (Poole) Lovelace.  She graduated from Northern High School in Detroit, Mich. in 1956, attended the University of Detroit and then went on to work at the O.T.A.C. in Detroit.  Vera married Ned Wicker Jr., her high school sweetheart, Nov. 19, 1960 in Detroit.  They lived in Michigan, moved several times, then finally settled in Clear Lake in 1974.  In Clear Lake she worked for E.F. Johnson, Unisys, AC Nielsen and the Mason City Clinic, retiring in 2004.
     Vera attended the New Bethel Baptist Church in Manly, Iowa, officiated by Pastor Fredrik Gillipse.  Vera enjoyed gardening, camping, reading, listening to music, volunteer work and she and Ned attended several functions for the community.  Vera loved spending time with her  children and especially her grandchildren.
     Vera is survived by her husband, Ned Wicker Jr., Clear Lake; three children, Vera Michelle Walker and her husband, Sam, Riverside, Calif., Monica Minunette Wicker, Riverside, and Keith Werner Wicker and his wife, Michelle, of West Jordan, Utah; four grandchildren, Michael Andrew Walker, Samantha Walker, Clara Isabella Wicker and Ian Matthew Wicker; and two sisters, Ollie Wee McAfee, Detroit, and Katherine Octavia “Sister” Collins, Detroit.
     Vera was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers; one sister; and her son, Ned Joseph Wicker III.
    Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.