Velma Louise Stafford
February 22, 1940 – March 27, 2025
Velma Louise Alexander was born on February 22, 1940 on a farm in Cherryvale, Kansas to parents Florence and Louis.
Her early years were spent in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Oregon where her father was a minister. It was in Lowell, Oregon where she gave her life to Jesus. She became an older sister to David when she was five.
As a young girl, she wanted to learn to sew, so her mom gave her feed sacks, patterns and sewing machine to get started. She made many of her own dresses, which unbeknownst to her, would fuel a lifelong passion and lead to a business.
As Velma was entering sixth grade, the family returned to Kansas to help her grandparents on their farm and in their church.
In tenth grade, the Alexanders moved to Lodi, California to be closer to Velma’s mother’s family, the Lees. Roger remembers Velma saying that upon arriving in Lodi, she felt like she was home.
Her fondest high school memory was playing in the band, which included marching in Disneyland’s Opening Day parade in 1955. She took home economics all throughout high school, where she excelled in sewing and cooking. In her senior year, she was given the Bank of America Achievement Award.
Her sister Sheryl was born when Velma was 16, and the two were always very close. Velma took care of her sister and helped raise her at times when her mom’s health was wavering.
She began building her community in Lodi through getting involved in Youth for Christ and Bible clubs, and attended Bethel Open Bible Church, which is where she met her future husband, Roger. They both played saxophone in the church orchestra.
Velma and Roger got married on December 19, 1958 in Lodi.
Roger, Velma and their two sons, Rodney and Gary, relocated to Berkeley in 1962-63 for one year, where Roger studied at UC Berkeley to complete his engineering degree. They welcomed Danene into their family during that year. Their lifetime Cal football fandom began there and trickled through the generations, and the family still attends nearly every home game.
Upon returning to Lodi, Velma sewed a lot for her family. Once, after making a dress for her sister-in-law, someone asked where she got it because they wanted one for themselves, and Velma’s seamstress business was born. She ran a successful business from her home for 60 years, helping multiple clients per day and frequently walking about her sewing room with pins held between her lips and a measuring tape strewn over her neck.
Velma and Roger were both very involved in their children’s activities, taking on roles such as room mother, cub scouts, PTA, soccer and baseball games, and more.
A critical part of her life was being involved at Bethel Open Bible Church. Roger and she are fourth generation members in the Bethel church family, and she was proud of her family’s history and heritage at Bethel, dating back to its start. Velma attended weekly, mentored young parents, and was head librarian at Bethel’s library.
Once her three children had started college and careers, Velma and Roger began traveling. Velma visited 90 countries and all seven continents – yes, including Antarctica! She and Roger took many cruises and met lifelong friends with whom they explored the world.
For 25 years, Velma and Roger looked forward to spending the month of February in Honolulu, enjoying Waikiki Beach, touring on the city bus and celebrating her birthday.
One of her favorite places to visit yearly was La Selva Beach in Santa Cruz, where she’d spend the Fourth of July week with her family – and friends who felt like family – for more than 30 years. This was among many important traditions she created for her
family.
She proudly became “Nana” – a title earned a thousand times over – to seven grandchildren whom she loved deeply and individually.
She encountered bumps in the road, among which were a few surgeries, cancer (which she survived), and in 2010, the passing of Danene, her daughter and best friend, to cancer. What sustained her was knowing God and that his promises never fail, and they would be reunited someday.
Of her life, she wrote “I’m a blessed and fulfilled woman. Jesus had met all our needs and many of our wants and wishes. He is more than wonderful to me.”
Her legacy lives on in her husband Roger; her pride and joy were her children and spouses Rodney and Molly, Gary and Cynthia, and Matt; grandchildren and partners Julia and Chris, Olivia and Colin, Laura and Vibhor, Zac and Christina, Willie and Riley, Regan, Meghan and Sam; great grandchild Bennett; sister Sheryl; and nieces and nephews John, Kent, Christie, Brandy, Sean and Emily. She joins her parents, brother, and daughter, Janis Danene, in Heaven.
Faithful Follower of Jesus, Wife, Mother, Grandmother “Nana,” Great Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Daughter, Friend, Mentor, Published Cook, Head Librarian, Cancer Survivor, Seamstress, Room Mother, Baker … she left all of us with a life complete.
In memory of Velma, consider a donation to Faith Home Adult Teen Challenge at www.fhtc.life.
SERVICE
A service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 2 p.m. at Bethel Open Bible Church at 760 S. Ham Lane in Lodi.
Please leave your condolences below.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Stafford family.
