Vera Quam Dulaney passed away July 5, 2019 at Heritage Estates in Gering, Nebraska. A Celebration of Life funeral service will be held at the Gering Civic Center on July 19, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. Husker red attire is welcome and encouraged! Closed casket visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Gering Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Oregon Trail Days Art Show, Regional West Hospice, Longs Peak Boy Scout Council and the Panhandle Humane Society. Online condolence may be left by viewing her obituary at www.geringchapel.com
Vera was born on September 24, 1934 and raised in Lodi, Wisconsin. She grew up on the family farm with her mother, Josephine Lucius, and father Alvin Quam, as well as her younger sister, Ruth. Vera attended Lodi High School and Kendall College near Chicago, Illinois where she studied music and art. She was an accomplished soprano soloist and pianist throughout her high school and college years.
She met and married Edward James Dulaney in the late 1950’s. The couple lived in Danville, Illinois before moving to Western Nebraska so Ed could pursue, among other interests, crop dusting. Not long after they arrived in Nebraska, Vera and Ed started Bluff’s Radio which later became D & A Manufacturing in Scottsbluff that specialized in amplifiers and two-way radio communications equipment designed by Ed. They achieved international acclaim and clientele. For many years they sponsored the D & A fast pitch softball team that won several state tournaments.
After Ed’s passing in 1979, Vera set her sights on public service. She was elected Scotts Bluff County Clerk in 1982 and remained in office until her retirement in December of 2018. During her years as a public servant she mentored many other clerks and received the County Official of the Year Award and numerous other honors. She was affectionately known by the County Commissioners as the “Sixth Commissioner”.
Vera was a devoted community service volunteer with United Way, Boy Scouts, West Nebraska Arts Center and many others. She served on the Oregon Trail Days Board of Directors for more than three decades and helped found the Oregon Trail Days Art Show which will celebrate its 37th anniversary this year.
She loved her Husker football team from the day she arrived in Nebraska, and she cherished her Chicago Cubs since her first of many childhood train rides to Chicago with her father for a day of baseball at Wrigley Field.
Vera will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She was known for putting the interests of others ahead of her own. Her kind and selfless acts will long be remembered by the community she loved and the people who knew her.
Vera was preceded in death by her parents Alvin and Josephine, husband Edward and sister, Ruth Helen Neis.
Vera is survived by son Daniel and his wife Beckie Lana-Dulaney of Odgen, UT, son Micheal Dulaney of Lincoln, NE, daughter Kathleen of Gering, NE, grandson Bryan Dulaney of Lincoln, granddaughter Treva Dulaney of Ogden, UT, grandson Payton Welfl of Gering, as well as her brother-in-law Ken Neis and four nephews, Doug, Dave, Kevin and Jeff Neis and their wives and children.