Velva Meadors

Velva Mae Meadors, 98, of Pryor, Oklahoma, passed away on Sunday, January 27, 2013 in Pryor. Velva was born near Gainesboro, Tennessee to Charlie and Ida Laura Smith on May 17, 1914. They lived in Tennessee until moving to Oklahoma around 1924. There were four girls when they moved, Velva, Marjorie, Hattie and Edith. Norma Ell was born while living in Bristow, Oklahoma. Charles Daniel was born in Drumright, Oklahoma in 1929. Velva attended Pleasant Hill School outside of Drumright, Oklahoma and played basketball through 11th grade. She could have gone to college on a basketball scholarship but chose to quit school and get married. She married John W. Meadors on December 5, 1931 in Drumright, Oklahoma. She had 8 children. Velva was a homemaker until she went to work around 1950. She worked as a nurse's aide in Cushing, Oklahoma, Artesia, California and Drumright, when she had to come back to take care of her parents. After her parents died she moved to her daughters, Trudy Berka at Twin Oaks, Oklahoma, where her husband pastored and followed them to Greenbrier Church at Adair, Oklahoma. She stayed with them until January of 1987 when they bought a house to retire in and she lived there with grandson, Ron Berka for about a year and then by herself until 1998 when she could no longer take care of things and herself. Francis, her son-in-law, resigned the church and they moved to be with her. That home is where she stayed until her passing. She had a few things that she loved to do, one was working outside. She worked in the fields with her Dad. She was the oldest and she was his boy until the last was born which was a brother. She loved quilting and made quilts for all her children. She also loved to crochet making numerous afghans and a king size bedspread for her sister. She was no longer able to do that when she couldn't hold things with her hands. In her days in California while she was nursing she bowled on a team with some of the other nurses. She won several trophies. That was one of the things that she would have loved to do again. She was very much sports minded. She always watched all ballgames with her son-in-law. Velva was loved by everyone and she enjoyed all the people she knew. Her church and loving God meant all to her. She missed very much going to church. Velva tried as long as she could. She would pray long every night for her family to be in church and serving God. She lived to see her grandchildren especially the little ones. She will be missed very much by her family and friends. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 10 a.m. in the Shipman's Funeral Chapel with Reverend Thomas Ballard officiating. Her great grandsons will serve as casket bearers. Her grandsons with be honorary casket bearers. Interment will be at 3 p.m. in the First Mission Cemetery in Drumright, Oklahoma. To leave a personal message to her family, please see her web memorial at www.shipmansfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Shipman's Funeral Cremation Service. She is survived by her children, Johnny and Jacky Meadors of Adair, OK, Judy and Elmo McCurry of Stillwater, OK, Francis and Trudy Berka of Pryor, OK, Gary and Terri Meadors of Chouteau, OK. She had 22 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren, 9 great great grandchildren and 5 great great great grandchildren. Nephews and Nieces, Charles and Salty Cruser of Rockport, TX, Debra Cruser of California, Jimmy and Sandy Cruser of Rockport, TX, Mitchell Griffith of OK, Michael and Cathy Griffith of Glenpool, OK and many great nieces and nephews. Velva was preceded in death by her husband, John (Willie) Meadors; Son, James H. Meadors; daughters, Glena Dell Martin, Edith Ann Meadors and Janice Sue Meadors; her father, Charlie Smith; Mother, Ida Laura Smith; her sisters, Marjorie Perry, Hattie Wing, Edith Cruser, Norma Griffith and brother, Charles Smith.

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