Velma Christeen Black DeWolf , age 85, 703 Monroe, Trenton, Missouri, passed away on Friday, October 28, 2011, at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, KS, after several battles with cancer. She was a retired businesswoman.
Memorial services will be held at Hodge Presbyterian Church in Trenton, Missouri, on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 1:30pm, under the direction of Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home, Trenton, MO. Interment will be held at Gresham Cemetery near Ellsinore, Missouri, on Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 1:30 pm.
Velma was born on June 2, 1926, in the Brushy Creek area of Carter County, Missouri, the daughter and only child of Alva Guy and Lora Katherine Parcus Walker. She attended Carter County country schools and graduated from Ellsinore High School. Velma attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. While seeking her college education, Velma contracted to teach at Elm Branch School, a one room rural school in Carter County, Missouri. Her father once dropped a tree to ford Brushy Creek so Velma could walk across the log to teach the day’s lessons to her pupils.
On October 25, 1945, Velma married her high school sweetheart, William David Black. While Bill served in the Army, the couple lived in Lawton, OK, where he was stationed at Fort Sill. Mr. and Mrs. Black later moved back to Missouri after Bill completed his service and settled in St. Louis where Velma worked at Busman Fuses and soldered fuses until she became pregnant with her first son. In 1953 and after entering the hardware business with Gambles-Skogomo, Inc., the couple moved first to Centerville, Iowa and later settled in Trenton, MO, in 1960 with two young sons. Bill managed the local Gambles Store and Velma clerked at Dale & Bach Jewelry, Kasparson Flowers, P.N. Hirsch Company and part-time for Gambles. Velma joined Bill full-time as co-owner of the local Gambles Store when they purchased the company store in 1969 and operated the business until Bill’s health failed in 1982. After closing the business, the couple moved to Enid, Oklahoma where they both worked for the Disciples of Christ Church, Meadows Point Apartments, until Mr. Black’s death in 1986.
In 1989, Velma married Clifford DeWolf, Kansas City, MO and lived in Kansas City until Mr. DeWolf’s death on June 3, 2005, after which she returned to Trenton to reside.
Velma has held memberships in the local PTA, Women’s Missionary Union, Trenton Business & Professional Women’s Club, American Legion Auxiliary, Riverside Country Club, Grundy County Historical Society, Enid Republican Women’s Club, Enid Lioness Club, Garfield County Oklahoma Extension Club and the Trenton Lions Club. She was also an active member of the Hodge Presbyterian Church where she enjoyed taking her turn to serve as an usher.
Velma is survived by her 2 sons and daughters-in-law: Rich and Carolyn Black, Lee’s Summit, MO, and Gary and Meredith Black, Trenton, MO. She is also survived by Clifford’s five children: Judie(Jerry) Wells, Cocoa, FL; Patty(Will) Miller, Nanci(Keith) Farris, Ted(Cathy) DeWolf, and Jeanette DeWolf, all who reside in the Kansas City area. Velma is also survived by 35 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the Hodge Presbyterian Church, Trenton, MO, or North Central Missouri College Foundation for Geyer Hall Restoration/Window Replacement Project or mailed to the funeral home at 813 Custer, Trenton, MO 64683.
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