Verna Wycherley

Born in Crowell, TX, she moved to Elk City, OK, as a child.  Her high school and college education was laced with music:  at Elk City High School she played trumpet in the marching band; and at Oklahoma City University she graduated with a BFA degree in trumpet and piano and recorded a solo on a 78 RPM record.  She loved Beethoven and big band jazz and danced the Jitterbug!  A woman of many homes and with a spirit of adventure, she lived in many American cities and towns west of the Mississippi followed by moving overseas to Australia and the Netherlands and experiencing round-the-world trips in the interim.   She finally moved back to Oklahoma City and lived there for the rest of her life.

After college graduation, she taught music in Oklahoma City schools.  While raising her four children and long afterwards, she played trumpet in community bands and orchestras nearly everywhere she lived.   In loving support of her children’s musical education, she frequently played piano to accompany their solos for school music programs.  One of her greatest and most enjoyable activities was acting, for which she played in over 40 productions, with Jewel Box and other OKC theatre groups and received multiple awards for her performances.  Sports were also a great interest of hers, with happy memories of friends and family watching OU Sooner and OKC Thunder basketball with her.

She was predeceased by her parents George T. “Poss” and Olive Hayes.

Surviving family are:  her son Bruce Wycherley and spouse, Susan, of New Jersey; her daughter Maggie Taliaferro and spouse, Bob, of Tyler, Texas; her daughter Diana Henderson of Oklahoma City; and her son Rex Wycherley and spouse, Indiana, of Guatemala; her grandchildren Steven Henderson, and Robert, Michael and Anne Taliaferro; and her eleven great grandchildren:  Grace, Emma, and Abby Henderson; Noah, Jacob, James, Emmeline, Laurel, Juniper and Brigham Taliaferro; and William Kessler.

She always had a passion for life, and she showed strength, intelligence, caring and love for the multitudes who were fortunate to know her.  Her religious inspirations were a catalyst that helped to bring many in her family closer to God.  She tirelessly created photos and videos to ensure that precious life memories would never be forgotten by family, friends, and future offspring.  Her mind and heart never stopped growing; at 80 she learned to use computers and cellphones to advance her knowledge and to better communicate with the younger generations.   She enjoyed being around others, liked to laugh and to get others to laugh.  A spunky woman who loved to dance!  Her full and wonderful life deserves to be celebrated!