Vera Bost

Vera Bost, 95, of North Little Rock, was born in Van Buren County, Arkansas on February 3, 1925 to the late Samuel Henry and Ruby Redding French.  The angels took her home March 26, 2020.  Johnny and Merry Alice were privileged to be with her when she took her final breath.  She was preceded in death by her parents, seven siblings, her husband of 47 years, John O. Bost, and her daughter, Marlys Bost.  She is survived by her children, Johnny (Sandra) Bost of North Little Rock, AR, Merry Alice (Chuck) Hesselbein of Little Rock, AR, and Paul (Chris) Bost of East Liverpool, Ohio, by her grandchildren, Matt Bost of Little Rock, Aaron (Amber) Bost of North Little Rock, Logan Bost, David Hesselbein, and Michael Hesselbein of Little Rock, Ryan Bost, Jonathan Bost, and Jessica Bost of East Liverpool, Ohio, and by her great grandchildren, Sam and Asher Bost and Elaina Rae Bost, and by numerous nieces and nephews and other extended family.  She will be greatly missed by all.

Vera was very much a product of the greatest generation.  She grew up during the depression in rural Arkansas.  In spite of the challenges of her early years she was the most loving, optimistic person on earth.  She always looked on the bright side of life.  She believed in the goodness of mankind and loved everyone.  In turn, they all loved her.  During the war she worked at a munition factory in Jacksonville, AR at night and attends cosmetology school in the day time.  Vera was the proud owner of the Powder Puff Beauty Salon in England, AR where she said she curled hair from sun-up to sun-down.  It was in England, shortly after the war, that she met the love of her life, John Orville Bost.  They were married November 24, 1948 and had four children in five years.  John began working for a construction company and the family moved all over the United States – from Arkansas to Idaho to California to Missouri to Virginia back to Missouri to West Virginia, back to Arkansas, to Canada and finally back to Arkansas.  In 1963 they moved to North Little Rock and that was home.

Vera began working at the Arkansas School for the Deaf around 1974 as a houseparent.  She retired after 16 years to take care of John, who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.  She loved her job and the friends she made at the School for the Deaf and often said if John hadn’t gotten ill, she would still be working there.  She was proficient in sign language.  Of course, her favorite sign was the one for “I love you.”

Everybody was welcome in Vera’s house.  When friends and relatives would drop by, she would always feed them. Her favorites were a big pot of beans, a pan of cornbread, and a homemade pie.  Many evenings were spent playing Dominos or Rummy or Phase 10.  There was much laughter.  Most of all, Vera loved children – her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren and all her nieces and nephews.

Vera was a woman of a deep faith. She was a long-time member of Berean Missionary Baptist Church, and was there Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night.  It is comforting to know she is in Heaven with her Lord and with her husband and daughter.

The last 8 years of her life she lived at Presbyterian Village. There are so many special caregivers who took such tender care of her.  Words are insufficient to express the family’s deep appreciation and gratitude for the love, the tenderness, the respect she received there. Vera was honored to be chosen as Mrs. Presbyterian Village in 2014 and again in 2019.  She was a beautiful queen!

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial be made to Berean Missionary Baptist Church, 5512 Pike Avenue, North Little Rock, AR 72118 or Presbyterian Village, 510 North Brookside, Little Rock, AR 72205.

There will be a visitation open to the public at Smith Family Funeral Home, 7700 Hwy. 107, Sherwood, AR on Thursday, April 2nd between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. where the guest book can be signed. Only because of the limits placed on the number of people who can gather at one time, a private service for the family will be held Friday, April 3rd at 9:30 a.m. This service will be streamed live through the Smith Sherwood Funeral Home Facebook page, connection found at smithsherwoodfuneralhome.com.  A Celebration of Life memorial will be held at a later date.  Vera will be interred at the Little Rock National Cemetery where John was buried in 1995.