Velma Smuck

Velma Lee Smuck was born to Wilbur and Aileen (Clarkson) Warner on Aug. 21, 1928, on their rural Booker, Texas, farm. She was preceded in birth by her brothers, Olin, (who died at birth), Raymond and followed by sister, Verla Mae and another brother, Wayne.

They lived first in a small two-room house but soon a neighboring house and a granary was added to make more room. When electricity came to the rural area in the mid-thirties, it was a welcome addition to the cobbled farmhouse.

Life was normal and good until the economy crashed, rains stopped and drought ensued in the early 1930s. The dry ground was loosened, began to blow, filled the air and drifted in houses and fences. These were extreme times for the family and the community.

In 1935, Velma Lee's mother was pregnant with her sixth child. Near her delivery time in November, she was bedridden with the flu. While very sick, she delivered the baby girl, Vera Ann. "Mama" Aileen Warner died and several days later baby, Vera Ann, also died. It was a traumatic time of grief and difficult adjustment for the young family. Velma Lee was 7 years old.

The next year, her father found a new wife and mother for his four young children. Lucy Page came into their lives with the daunting challenge of caring for the family, suddenly becoming a mother to four. It was challenging on all sides, but it worked. Soon two brothers were added to the family, Glen and Billy.

Velma Lee attended school in Booker, Texas, and graduated when she was 16. Students skipped the 8th grade as in the war years the school did not offer the 8th grade class. After she graduated from Booker High School, she graduated from Friends Bible College in Haviland, Kansas and, with taking summer classes at Friends University and Fort Hays State University, she earned a teaching certificate. She taught in rural schools near Beaver, Kansas, and the North Union school one half mile east and one mile north of Northbranch. She taught the Jeffery boys and Houghtelings.

Through a family connection and at Viewpoint Friends Church near Booker, Texas, she met a young man working in the community as a farm hand. After dating off and on for three years Norman and Velma Lee were married at Northbranch Friends Church on May 15, 1949. They were the last couple to be married in the old Academy building. The next year her sister, Verla Mae, was married in the newly remodeled Academy building. They rented the Brown farm near Booker and lived in the large farmhouse. Norman's parents, Vaughn and Elsie lived with them and together they operated the grade A dairy farm.

The children began to come: Homer in 1950, Jeanette in 1952, Jeanice in 1954 and Herschel in 1958. Farming in the Panhandle of Texas in the 1950s was difficult because of severe drought, seven years with no crops. Feed for the dairy cattle was all shipped in. Norman's health broke because of all the stress. Something needed to change so most of the cattle were sold. Plans were made to move to the Burr Oak area where they rented the Everett Terrill farm for one year. They were able to buy the Hunter farm 1 1/2 miles east of Northbranch and 2 miles north on the Kansas-Nebraska state line. There they lived and farmed for the next 45 years. Norman died in November, 2007.

Velma Lee worked at several jobs: Aspergren's grocery in Burr Oak, Red Cloud hospital as a nursing assistant and surgery assistant, cook at Nelson, Nebraska care home and Jewell County Senior Center in Mankato.

She was faithful to help with chores and tasks around the farm and to support Norman however she could. Anyone who knew her well, knew she was an avid reader. When she had any down time, she had a book in her hand. No doubt she read hundreds and hundreds of books but who thought to count?

One of her family's best memories is finding her early in the morning reading her Bible and praying. She was a prayer warrior and prayed the family through many challenging times and situations. She stepped into heaven on June 15, 2024, at Jeanette's home in El Dorado, Kansas.

She was preceded by her husband of 58 years, Norman; her mother, Aileen; her father, Wilbur; her stepmother, Lucy; her infant siblings, Olin and Vera Ann; her brother, Wayne; brother-in-law, Glenn Armstrong; sisters-in-law, Ellen Warner, Pat Warner, Patsy Warner and June Warner; son-in-law, LaDoyt Mosier; one nephew, Mike Warner; and one niece, Elizabeth Houk. Also, in Norman's family she was preceded in death by brother-in-law, Harold Smuck (Evelyn); sister-in-law, Velma (Dave Rice); sister-in-law, Helen Day; and brother-in-law, Lowell Weinacht.

She is survived by brothers, Raymond Warner, Glen Warner and Bill Warner; and her sister, Verla Mae Armstrong; children, Homer (Lois) Smuck, Jeanette Mosier, Jeanice (Mark) Janke and Herschel (Denise) Smuck; sister-in-law, Naomi Weinacht; 15 grandchildren, 30 great- grandchildren; and one great-great- grandson; many nieces and nephews and friends.

Heaven is much brighter with the addition of Velma Lee Warner Smuck.

Her funeral was at 11 a.m., Friday, June 21, 2024, at the Northbranch Friends Church in Northbranch, Kansas, with Kelly McNichols officiating.

Interment will be at the Northbranch Cemetery.

Visitation was held Friday, 9:30 a.m. to service time at the church.