Verna Hankerson

Verna’s Life Story Verna, affectionately known as Moochie, was born in Belle Glade, Florida on January 22, 1950. She transitioned to eternal life peacefully at home on July 24, 2026, surrounded by family and friends. She was the daughter of Dan Brown and Ezella (McKinney) Simms. Though born in Florida, she was raised by her mother in Eden, Maryland, graduating from Somerset High School in 1968. After graduating as a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), she turned down an opportunity to work for Maryland's governor to marry and raise a family. She was content to spend her working career at Perdue Foods, turning down opportunities for promotion out of dedication to family and a reluctance to travel for required training. She finally retired, often fighting through the pain of osteoarthritis, after more than 30 years due to mobility issues. She had a hustler's spirit. Every tax season, our dining table became her office as she put the knowledge and skills she learned in FBLA to work, preparing taxes for family, friends, and colleagues. Moochie came from a large family of eleven children and took on the role of nurturer. As the second eldest, she was known as the caretaker and peacemaker among her siblings. Being a grandmother was her greatest joy and pride. She cherished every moment spent with her grandbabies during the years her health allowed. She had a vibrant smile, a vivacious personality, and a kind spirit — just the sweetest disposition that drew people to her. So much so that she extended her family to include colleagues she often referred to as her play sisters and play brothers. She always enjoyed time visiting with family and friends. Whether it was a dinner party, a cookout, or an intimate gathering, she wouldn't dare show up without her famous potato salad. She also enjoyed watching her favorite soap operas and listening to music. For a woman of her time, she loved watching sports, especially football. She was a fan of the Orioles baseball team, a diehard Lakers fan, and an ultra-diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. Why Dallas and not Baltimore, you ask? Mom was known to root for the underdog. Dallas was the underdog in the first football game she ever watched — they won that day, and she became a fan for life. Mom rooted for the underdog in life, too, and was never judgmental. You could tell her anything, and she would offer suggestions on how to handle it — sometimes sharing a saying or story that her grandmother, Momma, had told her. Moochie also had a green thumb, growing houseplants during her healthy years. There were plants in the dining room, in the kitchen window, in the living room, and in the den. She surely would have had a successful YouTube channel on the subject. Many family members and friends would bring her their dying plants, and she always knew just how to nurse them back to health. She often took cuttings and grew them to gift to family and friends. Moochie loved home interior decorating. She had a gift for color schemes — paint, wallpaper, and wall accents. She served as a Home Interior sales representative to take advantage of their incentive program, earning free products. Despite her income, she could transform any room and make it look luxurious. She was preceded in death by: her mother, Ezella (McKinney) Simms; her father, Dan Brown; a sister, Josephine Simpson and three brothers, Woodrow Wilson, Jr., Gerald Wilson, and Dan Brown, Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory: two sons and one daughter, Richard (Aneetra Lyn) Hankerson, Victoria (Donald) Satchell and Vernon Hankerson; five sisters, Julia (John) Courts, Phyllis (Jake) Hankerson, Vivian Neals, Patsy Kenney, and Geraldine Mann; two brothers, John Ray (Mary) Wilson and Kenny Wilson; her life partner, Cleveland Dixon; a bonus daughter, Marcie Dixon; nine grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. Submitted With Love ~ The Family

Verna Hankerson

January 22, 1950 - July 24, 2026