Vearis Mae Atlas "Woot"

Vearis Mae Atlas  "Woot"

Funeral services celebrating the life and legacy of Vearis Mae Atlas "Woot,"  beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend will be  held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.  The services will be held at St. John Missionary Baptist Church 1407 West Madison Avenue, Rev. Steven R. Conley, Pastor.  "A Gathering of Family and Friends"  will begin prior to the service at 9:00 a.m.  Rev. Ronnie Traylor will serve as the officiating minister.  The interment will follow the services in H. V. Adams Cemetery.  To send flowers, words of condolences,  or light a candle, kindly follow the directions to your left.

******Family and friends are urged to turn on emergency flashers as we travel to Mrs. Atlas' final resting place.*****

"Her Green Thumb"

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.” – Song of Solomon 8:6

 People living in the small farming community of Oak Ridge, Louisiana were planning for Christmas on December 22, 1933.  Christmas trees glowed in many homes, presents had been placed under those trees, blue and green lights adorned the streets, and ladies hurriedly completed their baking of  fruit cakes, pound cakes, pecan and potato pies, dressing, greens and other delicacies.  But for Nathaniel Lanier and Minerva Bonner, the Christmas preparations paled in comparison to the "gift" they received on that chilly Friday in December.  Their gift: a baby girl who they named Vearis Mae. 

Vearis Mae, who was lovingly called "Woot,"  was the oldest of  her seven sisters, five brothers, 

was reared by her beloved paternal grandmother, Ebb Moore.  As was the custom in those days, her oldest sister status afforded her the opportunity to help with her younger siblings, but it also gave her permission to make sure they completed the chores that were often relegated to the younger children.  

Woot loved the Lord and her faith in God was strong.  She was a member of Greater Magnolia Missionary Baptist Church, but eventually joined St. John Missionary Baptist Church where she remained a faithful member until God called her home.

 In 1972, Vearis Mae Lanier married a handsome gentlemen, one Phillip "Chief" Atlas.  They were united for forty-six years until his demise in 2018.

Woot was a proud member of the Morehouse High School Class of 1951. An industrious lady who was always busy, she worked in several professions.  However, her most rewarding was that of a paraprofessional for  Morehouse Parish School System.  She watched with pride, as her students graduated  and acquired lucrative positions in academic as well as other business areas.

Now, Woot had a flair for decorating. She loved going on shopping excursions with family and friends.  But, her passion was caring for her plants.  Some said she had a "green thumb," because she could make even the most withered plants flourish. 

In the wee hours of Monday, May 19, 2025, Vearis Mae Lanier Atlas, donned the robe of immortality and joined loved ones who had gone on before. Cherishing her smile, her kindness, and her words of wisdom, are her grateful children: Sharon, Barbara, David, Shirley Ann, Cheryl, Janice, and LaTania, her siblings, thirteen grandchildren and eight grandchildren who brought her so much joy, dear friends, nieces, nephews, cousins, church members, and a support system that cared for her without ceasing. 

Vearis Mae Lanier Atlas was loved! 

Vearis Mae Lanier Atlas LOVED.

Rest In Love Woot!

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Vearis Mae Atlas "Woot", please visit our floral store.