Mary Ann Skeen Verhagen of Tallulah, LA, went home to be with Jesus on September 21, 2025. Born November 29th, 1943 in San Diego, CA to Everett Gray and Mary Lee Skeen. After her dad's Naval service the family returned to Mississippi, where she grew up in Clarksdale. She moved to Tallulah in the early 1970s with her husband, Bill Hall. In Tallulah she raised her three children and worked with Madison Parish School Board until retirement.
She gave her life to Christ and was baptized at First Baptist Church Tallulah in 2001. She cherished her Sunday school class and fellowship with her church family.
She was an avid football fan. She converted from an Ole Miss fan to a LSU fan after she married her second husband, Martin Verhagen. She also was a huge fan of the New Orleans Saints.
She and Martin loved to cook and cooking for family. They often went on adventures in south Louisiana to try other folks cooking.
She was an animal lover and always had pets to care for. She could often be heard saying, "Animals are my favorite people".
Those that knew her best will tell you that one of her best traits was her love for children. She never met a child she didn't love. As a para- professional at the school board she dedicated herself to helping every child she worked with to overcome learning challenges. She believed in every child she met and felt they deserved love & compassion, a safe home, and to be heard.
She was a dedicated and loving mom. Her children each grew into adults with lives of service. Both of her sons served in the military and her daughter is a medical professional primarily focused in hospice care.
Perhaps even more so, she loved being "MeMe' to her grands and greats. She always enjoyed any time she could spend with them.
She married Martin in 1994. He was the love of her life and together they lived happily until his passing in 2011.
Mrs Verhagen is proceeded in death by her parents, her sister Joyce, and husband Martin.
She is survived by her sister Bobbie Akin, brother Tom Skeen, daughter Mary Elizabeth Lord (Dan), sons Graydon Everett Hall (Amanda), Billy Frank Hall Jr (Lisa), nieces Liz Hall, Teresa Ellis, nephews Austin and Clint Joyner, Martin's children Stacy Solet (Mike), Marty Verhagen (Kim), eleven grand children, and thirteen great grandchildren.
Services will be held Sunday October the 5th under the direction of Beckwith Golden Gate Funeral Home (https://www.beckwithgoldengate.com/obituary/MrsMaryA-Verhagen) at First Baptist Church Tallulah. Brother Jay Morgan will preside. Visitation will be at 1pm and the funeral will follow at 2pm. Grave side service will be at Silver Cross cemetery on Monday the 6th proceeding from FBC Tallulah at a time TBD.
Pallbearers will be Scott Wallace, Josh Taffer, Jeremy Ledet, Cameron Russell, Todd Westmoreland, and Troy Luke Smith. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Anthony Moore and Len Laughman.
The family would like to thank the Madison Parish Sheriff's Office, the Madison Parish School Board, Crossroads Hospice, First Baptist Church Tallulah/Brother Kameron Toth, Dr Albritton and staff, everyone who loved on her and the family during her last days, and especially the sitters who cared for her, Kristal Vaughn, Jackie Guice, ShaQuala Riggs, Raven Sanders, and Nikki Ross. In a short time they became family and loved her like thier own.
Also like family were close friends Charlotte Brewton-Minsky, Zenola Frazier, Mamaw Lopez, Rita Patterson, her entire Sunday School class, and pets Pepper and Tia.
In lieu of flowers the family ask for donations to be made to St Jude.
