On a brisk January 24, 1954 a beautiful baby girl was born to Rodean Tee Wee Spriggs and Horton Bethune, Sr. She was the third child of Rodean and her first daughter. This strong baby girl grew to be quite competitive and independent. Dr. Vera Bethune was educated in the Baltimore City Public Schools and graduated from Southern High School in 1972. She went on to Coppin State College now Coppin State College University to earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in education, her Masters Degree in Supervision and Administration from Morgan State College now Morgan University, and her Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern Unversity on June 29, 2003. Vera was baptized at the historic Leadenhall Baptist Church by Dr. H. Hudson Bobbitt in 1965. Through the years she has been active, loyal life-time member of her church. She has served as Sunday School Teacher, member of the Board of Christian Education, Sunday School Resource Person, Youth Advisor for over twenty years, one of the orginators of the Youth LBC Bowling League, the "Science for Everyone Program," Superintendent of the Sunday School, Past President of the sisterhood Ministry, member of the Courtesy Ministry, Bulletin Board Ministry, the Birthday Ministry, Church Security and the Mass Choir. After working as a librarian for Enoch Pratt Library, Vera began her teaching career. She taught at Dallas Nicholson Elementary School #39 and Arlington Elementary School #234. Vera was Assistant Principal at Mary Rodman Elementary School #204, Calverton Elementary/Middle School #75 and Rognel Heights Elementary/Middle School #89. She was promoted to Principal of Holabird Elementary #229 and later moved to Canton Middle School #230 in 2007-2008. In 1992 she attended Southern High School's twentieth year class reunion. It was at this reunion that she renewed her friendship with a schoolmate, Andrei Stewart. One year later Vera and Andrei were married at Leadenhall Baptist Church on July 17, 1993. Vera has been affiliated with the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Gamma Chapter for over twenty years. She was co-chairman and chairman of the sorority's youth groups, the Xinos and Kudos for a number of years. She was also active in the NAACP and the PASA Principles-Administrators-Supervisors Association. Illness befell Vera on Mother's Day 2008. She suffered a mini-stroke and drove herself to Northwest Hospital. Two months later, Vera resumed her passion of traveling by going on a seven day cruise and five day extended land excursion to Alaska. Her previous travels have taken her to many of the fifty states from coast to coast and Cancun, Mexico. She enjoyed traveling by car-air-sea. Other hobbies included gardening, skiing, swimming, bowling, tinkering with electronics gear, playing softball and golf. Dr. Vera Bethune-Stewart was preceded in death by her mother Rodean L. Spriggs and two brothers, William Barnes and Horton Bethune Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory; her ex-husband, Andrei Stewart, her father, Horton Bethune Sr. his wife Etha; three sisters, Doreen, Deborah and Lisa; four brothers, Gregory his wife Betty, Anthony, Joseph, Michael his wife Crystal; mother-in-law, Corine Stwart; brother-in-law, Roger Stewart his wife Rita; two sisters-in-law, Barbara and Linda; two adopted families Lowry and Charlotte Brooks, Mrs. Shirley Gordon, Tanya Dawson and her children; nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews, a host of other relatives and friends.