Vern Eileen (Pottinger) Sommerville, 100 of Mendota passed away October 4, 2019 at Mendota Lutheran Home.

Private graveside services will be held at Restland Cemetery, Mendota at a later date.

Vern was born January 24, 1919 to Joseph and Myrtle (Ballance) Pottinger in Peru. She married Glenn Sommerville June 2, 1941 in Watertown, NY while he was serving in the U.S. Army.

Vern graduated from LaSalle-Peru High School in 1936 and received her BS in Home Economics from the University of Illinois in 1944. She began her 31-year teaching career at a one-room school northwest of Mendota. Later Vern taught first grade at Blackstone Elementary School for 27 years while helping her husband farm south of Mendota. Vern was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Mendota.

Vern always cherished the time she was able to spend with the grandchildren when visiting the Mendota area. Vern especially enjoyed living on the farm, growing a vegetable garden, giving guided tours of her large day lily and iris flower beds, travelling, playing cards, sewing clothes for herself, sewing book bags for church projects, crocheting dishcloths and blankets, watercolor painting and working the daily newspaper crossword puzzle. She was overwhelmed being able to celebrate her 100 ^th birthday party with so many family members and friends.

She is survived by three sons Roger (Marla) Sommerville Peru, Harvey (Judy) Sommerville Lake Havasu City, AZ and Duane Sommerville of Newburgh, IN; 3 grandchildren Martin, Drew and Lainie and 4 great-grandchildren Ed, Anna, Olivia and Jack.

She was preceded in death by her husband Glenn who passed away April 8, 1994 and two brothers Sidney and Russell Pottinger.