The Original Hobo Nickel Society's beloved webmaster and membership secretary, Verne Walrafen, caught the westbound on April 5, 2012.

Verne R. Walrafen, 71, was born on October 23, 1940 in Emporia, Kansas to Mary Ray Walrafen and Norman O. Walrafen. He was a loved husband of over 45 years to his wife, Caroline, father to his daughters, Sonya (Brant) Hanna, Dawn Hovey, and Natasha (Brian) Uhlrich and "Big Papa" to his nine grandchildren. His sister, Juanita Shipley, lives in Blaine, WA.

Verne was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving during the Viet Nam war. A very intelligent man, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Kansas University and a Master Degree in Computer Science from Kansas State University. Verne retired in 1997 after 30 dedicated years as a Civil Engineer for the Kansas Department of Transportation in Topeka. He was a valued member of the Original Hobo Nickel Society and dearly supported that art up to his very last day. A man of many interests, he enjoyed animals, nature, reading, fishing, computers, and good food. Throughout his life he could be found with a science fiction book and Mountain Dew in hand. Those who knew him were fortunate to benefit from his intelligence, generosity and humor. He will be dearly missed. A Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 am on Friday, April 13, 2012 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Meriden. A family inurnment will be held at the Meriden Cemetery where he will join his father and mother. Memorials may be made to the Verne R. Walrafen Memorial Fund in care of the Barnett Family Funeral Home, PO Box 602, Oskaloosa, KS 66066. The family will be donating all funds received for a charitable purpose close to Verne's heart..

If you wish to join the Original Hobo Nickel Society (OHNS) or are renewing your membership. Please send payment to Ralph Winter, 5608 Glen Oak Court, Saline, MI 48176-9545 rather than the Ozakie, Kansas address that is noted on the membership form.

If you have any enquiries regarding the OHNS or Verne Walrafen, you can contact Ralph Winter at hobobazoo@gmail.com.

The website will be under construction with continuous updates for the next few weeks. Please be patient while we rework the site. To continue on to the archived site, click here.