Velma Loraine Frye Peel

Velma Loraine (Frye) Peel passed away peacefully at her home on June 21, 2016, at the age of 89. She was born September 22, 1926, to Jesse and Nora (McCombs) Frye. She adored her two older brothers, Roy and Emil Frye, and she was inseparable from her younger sister, Noni Nell (Frye) Shirley. Velma attended Burbank High School in San Antonio where she was a proud member of the Women’s ROTC. It was at Burbank where she met and quickly fell in love with the love of her life, Cllifford DeWitt Peel. They graduated in 1944 and married in 1945, and shortly thereafter they had 4 sons, Larry Clifford, Thomas DeWitt, Terry Michael, and Denny Keith. Velma spent her life shuffling her boys from one ballpark to another, living the life of a busy stay-at-home mom, and loving every minute of it! Clifford and Velma were a perfect combination, as Clifford was the extrovert and Velma, the introvert; she’s the one who steadied the rudder and kept life on an even keel. The greatest joy in her life was spending time with her growing family, which includes 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Velma was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford, her brothers, Roy and Emil and their wives Minola and Dorothy respectively; her sister, Noni and her husband, Nolan; and her son, Thomas DeWitt Peel. She is survived by her son Larry and his wife Michele, their children Ryan, and his wife Holly, Robin and her husband Doug Yeamans, and Ashley; Carol Peel Easley and her husband, Charles, and Tommy and Carol’s children, Brian and his wife, Andi, and Clifford and his wife, Theresa; Terry and T.A. Peel and their children, Jennifer, and Michael and his wife, Beverly; Denny and his wife, Lizanne, and their children, Garrett and his wife, Mandie, JohnBlake and his wife, Vanessa, and Kellyn and her husband, Keith Wilkes; 19 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

“Nanaw” will be loved and greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Gracious, loving, warm, and generous, she was truly one of a kind. Special thanks to Velma’s caretaker, Rosie E. Muzquiz, whose love and tender care went far beyond what was expected; Rosie truly loved Velma, and we will be forever grateful to her for her everlasting devotion; to Amedisys Hospice Care; and to Dr. Burton Shaw, our family doctor, for his many, many years of professional care.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, June 27, at 11:30 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Park, 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.Alz.org.