Obituaries » VERA MAE GANT BOSS
PrintVERA MAE GANT BOSS
April 8, 1938 - January 7, 2022
Burial Date: January 15, 2022
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Pettis Memorial CME Church, 121 S Coanza Street, West Helena, Arkansas from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 p.m. Funeral Service will follow promptly at 1:00 p.m. at Pettis Memorial CME Church, Saturday, January 15, 2022. Interment will be held at a later date and time at Barrancus National Cemetery, Pensacola Florida. We will follow CDC guidelines: mask, hand sanitizer, and the social distance standard of 6ft apart. Mrs. Boss's service may be viewed live through ZOOM. Here are the ZOOM instructions: If you do not have the ZOOM app already, please download it prior to the service. Topic: Funeral Services for Mrs. Vera Boss - Pettis Memorial C.M.E Church - West Helena, Arkansas Time: Jan 15, 2022 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84291894136?pwd=UXZkZ0NlQ20ycHZ2YTQvTm00MGdxZz09 Meeting ID: 842 9189 4136 Passcode: 815937
Vera Mae Gant Boss departed this life peacefully on Friday, January 7, 2022 in the home of her brother William C. Gant and sister-in-law, Debora, in West Helena, Arkansas.
Vera was the second child of five children born to Lay Leader C.T Gant and Rev. Virgie A. Gant on April 8, 1938, in West Helena, Arkansas. She confessed a hope in Christ at a young age during revival at Pettis Memorial and was spiritually groomed at home and church. Vera attended the well-known West Side Elementary School to get her academic background under the tutelage of many excellent teachers. She was known by some as “Vera, the Great,” at the famous Eliza Miller High School in Helena with sponsor Mr. Nexton P. “Count” Marshall. The Class of 1955 was a close knit group and continued to remain in contact as they continued on life’s journey.
She matriculated at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee where she received the B.S. degree in English, Cum Laude. Minor: Speech and Drama. As a member of the Student Government Association, she was Campaign Manager for several campus candidates who were victorious. Specifically, she managed the campaign for the late Fannie Walker Huggins of Magnolia, AR who was Miss Lane-1960 and also campaign manager for William H. Graves, Sr. who won the Presidency of The Student Government Association and would later become the 42nd Bishop of the CME Church. Other memberships included watch care membership at St. Paul CME Church on the campus of Lane College, Student Christian Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and more. Her outgoing personality caused her to have many friends. She wrote poems, plays, directed acts, and constructed word puzzles. After graduation in 1959, she accepted employment at Dyersburg, TN, Memphis, TN and Lake View High School in Arkansas.
In 1961, Vera married her high school sweetheart, Naval Chief William James Boss at Pettis Memorial C.M.E. Church in West Helena, Arkansas. To this union, two sons were born, William (Bill) James Boss, Jr. and David Boss. She travelled extensively with her husband around the world and lived in places like Spain, Africa, and Paris to name a few. Vera lived life to the fullest traveling, sharing, teaching, organizing, working, and using her leadership ability. She continued to do so when the family decided to retire to Pensacola, Florida where they worshiped and faithfully attended Corry Station Chapel. There she made many friends worshiping, planning programs of celebrations, using her creativity, enthusiasm, and warm personality in service to others. Vera had a special way of winning friends and using her talents to reach out to others and involve them.
Vera was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years before his passing in 2018, Senior Chief William James Boss, Sr. and son William James Boss, Jr., a dear great-nephew, Willis Lee Walker better known as David Walker, her mother Rev. Virgie A. Gant, father, Lay Leader Cortelyou T. Gant, and two sisters, Elva Jean Gant Butler, and Verbie June Gant Walker.
August 2019 Vera relocated to her hometown, West Helena, AR, to live with and be cared for by her younger brother and his wife, William and Debora Gant. She was a joy to have as she enjoyed seeing some old friends, worshiping at her home church, now pastored by her brother, being with her big sister, Virgie, and her family as well as other family members and her brother’s n-laws who came to see her. When we would travel or return from an event, as Vera was getting ready for bed, her remark, “I had a GOOD time” made it all worthwhile.
Left to cherish her memories are her son David Boss of Pensacola, stepsons, William Boss of Florida and Jay Boss of Arizona; grandchildren: Devan, Angelina, Samuel, Matthew, Nina Boss and William J. Boss, III; a sister, Virgie G. Phillips (Leon A. Phillips, Jr.) of Lake View, Arkansas; a brother, Rev. William C. Gant, (Debora C. Young-Gant, Sister-in-Law and devoted care-giver) of West Helena, AR. A devoted God Son Deacon Melvin Sampson (Debra) of Pensacola, FL; a devoted nephew Leon A. Phillips, III of Lake View, AR.
She will be missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and acquaintances.
