Velma G. Smith

Velma Gwendolyn (Keithley) Smith), 98, passed away on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 of natural causes. Velma was born on March 16, 1923 near Springfield, Missouri. As a young girl, she made her choice to serve the Lord and she lived her whole life fulfilling that purpose. She met her husband, Sylvan, during War War II when he was a soldier and she corresponded with him faithfully until the war ended and they were married in April, 1946.

After their marriage, they lived in Windsor, Missouri for about six months and then spent many years in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 1995, they moved to Arizona to be closer to their daughter, Alice Jean. Being raised during the depression made Velma a strong, capable woman with great survival skills. It was often said by others that there wasn’t anything that Velma couldn’t do. She did the maintenance on their cars, carpentry work, put a new roof on the house, handled any plumbing issues and was an accomplished seamstress. She loved to sew her friends and family beautiful garments, quilts, and baby gifts.

Velma is survived by her loving daughter, Alice Jean and son-in-law Jim Wilkinson of Tempe , Arizona and her devoted grandson, Jeremiah and his wife Selvi Wilkinson of Scottsdale, Arizona and two great-grandsons, Jaiwant Jeremiah Wilkinson and Jalen James Wilkinson. She is also survived by her brother Stanley Keithley and his wife, Bonnie of Tulsa, Oklahoma and two sister-in-laws, Mildred Braund of Anthem, Arizona and Deloris Smith of Cole Camp, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her husband Sylvan, and her siblings, Helen Dean, Luther Keithley, Hubert Keithley and Harold Keithley.

Velma’s funeral service will be on February 2, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. at the Mariposa Garden Memorial Park and Funeral Care at 6747 E. Broadway Road, Mesa Arizona. The burial will be on February 7 at 9:30 a.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.