She was born Aug. 16, 1925, to Harry and Leona Folkers in Osmond. Verna Mae attended Immanuel Lutheran Country School and graduated in 1943 from Osmond High School. She was employed by the Osmond State Bank for 47 years, retiring in 1990. Verna Mae married Lloyd 'Ed' Brueckner Nov. 4, 1966. Ed passed away in 1994. Years later, Verna Mae reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Dr. F. James 'Jim' Kratochvil, during a high school reunion. They married Aug. 5, 2007, and moved to La Jolla, CA. Jim passed away June 7, 2016. Verna Mae then moved to Pasadena Highlands senior retirement. In 2020, she moved to the San Luis Valley, Colorado to be close to her nephew.

She is survived by her two nephews, Edward Schilling of Lisbon, Portugal, and Eugene and Mary Schilling of Alamosa, CO; stepchildren Dr. Jim and Nancy Kratochvil of Lake Oswego, OR, Pamela Kratochvil and Carlos Rodriguez of Los Angeles, CA, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.