Versa Eleanor Buchanan

Versa Eleanor Buchanan: A Portrait in Grit and Grace

Born on a summer’s day—July 24, 1910, in the quiet town of St. Francisville, Illinois—Versa Eleanor Buchanan entered a world already rich with stories. The daughter of Maurice G. Buchanan, a devoted preacher, and Pearl Wilton, Versa would come to carry their resilience and compassion through every twist and turn of her long life.

By 1920, the Buchanan family had settled on Lafayette Street in Winslow, Indiana. At nine, Versa was the big sister to twin brothers, Charles and Carlin, and little Lois, just five. Their home was filled with sermons and lullabies, lessons in both scripture and survival.

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Marriage

Versa’s early path diverged from tradition when, at just 18, she married Richard Harrison Benedict in Indianapolis. It was November 6, 1928, and the world was on the cusp of the Great Depression.

Still, young Versa stepped into her new role with determined grace, working as a saleslady in a cloak house to help support her husband’s family while living under her mother-in-law’s roof, Grace Benedict.

Despite marrying at 17, Versa worked as a saleslady in a cloak house, showcasing her independence and contribution to the family’s income. Her ability to read, write, and speak English highlighted her education and communication skills. Living with three other family members, including Grace, Mildred, and Richard, Versa’s role as a young married woman in the workforce added a dynamic layer to the household’s composition.

The Benedict family’s diverse origins, with Versa’s father hailing from Indiana and her mother from Missouri, reflected a blend of regional influences within the household.

Not long after, Versa welcomed a daughter, Beverly Ann Benedict, born under the city lights at Methodist Hospital on October 18, 1931. Their home at the time, 2413 College Avenue, would see the joy of first steps, the weight of decisions, and the unraveling of a young marriage.

According to the 1933 City Directory, Versa and Richard lived at 2302 N. New Jersey St, Indianapolis, Indiana. Richard worked as a salesman for Indiana Mirror Manufacturing Company.

By 1940, Versa was no longer a wife but a woman forging her own path. Divorced, she took up lodging on West 27th Street in Indianapolis, working tirelessly as a saleswoman. She had a year of college under her belt and earned every cent of her $720 annual income through 52 consecutive weeks of work—an unbroken testament to her perseverance.

But Versa wasn’t just surviving—she was evolving.

By 1950, we find her listed as a photographer—a career she’d nurture for two decades. No longer a housewife or salesgirl, Versa had become a portrait artist, capturing light and likeness through her lens. Her address changed to 2730 Street, Apartment 62, where she lived with her sister Lois Boone and family, still surrounded by love, even in a second act of life.

Eventually, she married Robert E. Laird, and they settled into a quieter rhythm on Burlington Avenue. Robert worked in real estate, and Versa finally laid down the camera in 1977, retiring after 20 years behind it.

Versa and her second husband, Robert E. Laird, lived at 6171 Burlington Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, per U.S. city Directories, 1822-1995 in 1955. Robert was a salesman with J& L Agency Inc.

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Versa and her husband, Robert E, lived at 6171 Burlington Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, per U.S. city Directories, 1822-1995 in 1959. Robert was in real estate.

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Death

Versa passed away just after midnight on March 27, 1998, at Methodist Hospital—the very same place her daughter had been born decades before.

At 87 years old, Versa left behind more than a trail of documents—she left a legacy of independence, resilience, and artistry.

Versa’s Obituary confirmed her date of death, burial place, occupation, second husband, brother, and sister. It also tells us that she was a photographer for 20 years and retired in 1977.

She now rests at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, in Section 78, Lot 161, remembered not just as a wife or mother, but as an artist, a fighter, and a woman who carved her own way in a world that seldom made it easy.

If anyone remembers her, or has stories to share about Versa Eleanor Buchanan—the artist, the sister, the mother, the aunt—we’d love to keep her memory alive. Please leave a note in the comments, and let her story unfold through the lives she touched.

With warmth,
~Kris

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🕯️ Revisited by Bones: Versa Eleanor Buchanan
Some lives flicker quietly through history, their light never fully dimmed—and Versa’s is one of them.

She wasn’t famous but fierce—a woman who weathered divorce in an era when it wasn’t spoken of. A photographer capturing others while quietly building her own resilience behind the lens. A sister who lived with family, even as she redefined what “home” meant.

In a time when women were often expected to be defined by others, Versa carved out a path with her own name on it. From preacher’s daughter to portrait artist, her journey wasn’t one of grand fanfare, but of quiet, persistent transformation.

The records told us when she was born and where she died—but her story tells us who she was.

Still looking for the echo of her laughter,
~Bones