Velma Green

Velma was born on August 6, 1915 in West Oneonta, the daughter of Grant and Bertha (Lent) Green.

She attended the District #9 grade school and went onto Oneonta High School, graduating in 1933. Velma obtained her undergraduate degree in 1936 from the Oneonta Normal School. In 1951, she received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree and in 1956 she received her Master’s of Science Degree from SUNY Oneonta.

During her 35 year teaching career, Velma taught at Rockdale, Butts Corners, Mt. Vision, Woodville, Chadwicks, Jamesville, and at Auburn for the last 20 years. She retired from teaching in 1971.

Velma was very involved in her community and loved to keep busy, belonging to many organizations. The organizations she belonged to included: St. James Episcopal Church, New York State Retired Teachers Association, Otsego County Retired Teachers Association, New York State Historical Association, Greater Oneonta Historical Society, Daughters of American Revolution, Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, Literacy Volunteers, A.O. Fox Memorial Auxiliary, American Guild of Organists. She was also an associate of the Society of the Sisters of Transfiguration and the Historian for the Town of Oneonta.

Velma is survived by her four sisters, Marian Green of West Oneonta, Cora Barney of Oneonta, Ruth Kohari of Akron, Ohio, Marcia Phillips of Long Island, and one sister-in-law, Alice B. Green of Goldsboro, North Carolina.

She is also survived by her nieces, Carolyn Hashimi, Dorothy Green, Esther Reynolds, Marta Morrison, Karen Raines, Lois Anne Van Alstine, and Cindy Harris; her nephews, Robert, Philip, and John Kohari, Gary, Paul, and David Green, Bradley Ehlert, and Ted Philips and several grandnieces and grandnephews.

Velma was predeceased by her parents; two brothers, Carl and Owen Green; her sister, Louise Ehlert; her nephew, Charles Barney and a niece, Kathy Ehlert.

A Mass of Requiem will be held at 11 am on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at St James Episcopal Church, 305 Main Street, Oneonta, with the Rev. Kenneth Hunter, officiating. Inurnment will follow in the West Oneonta Cemetery, West Oneonta.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Velma’s name to: St. James Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 305 Main Street, Oneonta, NY 13820 or to Catskill Area Hospice, 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820.