There are all kinds of people in the world. Some are quiet, some are loud and others fall somewhere in the middle. Vera was loud. She lived her life out loud so that people knew when she had arrived. She greeted everyone with a smile and a hello that could be heard across the room. In other words, you knew her by her voice, her dress, (large, colorful hats) for church, and bright colors in her clothing.

Vera was born to the late Homer and Nellie Haygood on May 7, 1940. She was a Taurus in the truest sense of the word for those who believe Astrology. Stubborn, determined, driven, bullheaded, bold, independent and a lover of beauty are a few of the words that describe her personality to a tee. She was determined to build a life for herself and prove that if you work hard, save your money, you can succeed.

Being the oldest girl in the family of 10 children made her a mother's right hand. She learned to cook and care for her brothers and sisters as a very young girl. Being the oldest girl of these children created a need for additional help and her father decided that after attending Conyer's Jr. High School, she had no need for further education. He disposed of her books and demanded that she stay home and help her mother.

When Vera was 21, she left home for the big city of Huntsville, Alabama and she set about building a life for herself. She worked at a number of places including SCI during its early years. She continued attending her home church where she gave her life to Christ as a young girl. She later moved her membership to Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church where she remained until the Lord called her home.

Vera's personality led her to travel as often and as far as she could. She especially loved cruising and was able to cruise on 20 different ships. She organized many of the trips herself collecting money, hiring buses, setting deadlines and making sure everything was in place for a successful cruise. She was a good money manager. She was also an avid traveler, able to visit unknown places independently and successfully.

She once flew with her cousin Virginia, to Las Vegas to celebrate their birthdays, Virginia left her to get to the airport alone because she knew Vera was capable of getting to the airport alone.  They needed to catch the "Red Eye" that morning and Vera was not ready to go. Virginia and Vera shared a birthday week with Vera being born on May 7 ^th and Virginia on the 8 ^th . They were as close as sisters for some 60 years of their lives. Vera traveled several times to England, Paris, New York, and many other places alone.

As mentioned earlier, Vera was very good with money. It might be said that she was "tight". She was able to work and purchase a house many years ago. She paid for it, furnished it and purchased a new car whenever she wanted. She always paid cash for her cars because she did not want to pay the interest that would be charged through financing. She felt that if you made a dollar, you should keep 90 cents of it. She did not want to depend on anyone for anything.

As said earlier, Vera learned to cook from her mother and she was a good one. She could make a wonderful Red Velvet Cake and almost anything else you can name. She loved to prepare large dinners and did so for many years. The delight of her life was family and she was able to meet a large group of family members that she did not know existed in 2019. These family members were from her mother's side. They remained a mystery until DNA provided her the information to find them. It was a glorious reunion at the home of her cousin Virginia.

Vera was reared in a strict, God-fearing family. Her father was a Deacon in the church and her mother was a Mother of the same Church (New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church) in the tiny town of Gurley, AL. This background served her well in her adult life. She worked in the church, singing, working in several ministries and she formed her own group, (The Seven Sisters). This group went around throughout the city and county singing and praising the Lord. She did this until her health began to fail. After a difficult stint in the hospital, she spent most of 2020 healing. Unable to regain her health completely another bout of illness overcame her, and she was unable to fight it off. She went home to be with her God early Wednesday morning at 3:20 a.m. She simply fell asleep and did not awaken.

Vera had planned her funeral down to the last detail. She was an organizer and made sure she left instructions about her assets in a will and her burial with more than one person. She did not want a mistake to be made. She reassured her cousin Virginia that she was ready to go from this earth. She was not afraid to leave. She had lived her life and when the time came she would be fine.

Vera is preceded in death by: her son, Phillip; mother, Nellie; father, Homer; and brothers, John, Robert, Tommy, Henry, Paul, and James Haygood. She leaves to mourn: one brother, William Haygood; one sister, Nancy Collier; one sister-in-law, Annie Haygood; a special niece, Amberley Haygood; a host of nephews, nieces; a special cousin, Virginia Rice; and many other relatives and friends. She will be missed by those who frequent Walmart on Sparkman Drive because she became their unpaid greeter by simply visiting there often and talking to the customers. She leaves a large hole in the fabric of Huntsville's church family and general population.

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Graveside service for Ms. Vera Haygood will be Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley View Memorial Gardens with Pastor O. Wendell Davis officiating.

Public Viewing:  Monday, November 29, 2021  ~  10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.