Velma Alberta Johns of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Tuesday morning, September 9, 2008, in the Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Blackwell at the age of 94 years.

Velma Alberta Johns was born on March 10, 1914, in Grand Junction, Colorado, to George and Alverta (VanGundy) Hendricks. As a young girl she moved with her family to Hammon, Oklahoma, before moving to Blackwell in the early 1920's where she attended Blackwell Public Schools. Following her education she married Victor George Johns in 1929 in Blackwell and they settled in Blackwell where she worked at the Hazel-Atlas Glass Plant. She later worked for the Turvey Packing Company. Her husband preceded her in death in 1965. Following his death she moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and worked in housekeeping at the Garden of the Gods. In the late 1980's she returned to Blackwell and worked as a dorm mother at Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa until her retirement in 2000. She was a member of the First Church of God in Blackwell and the Rebekah's Lodge. She enjoyed handcrafts, traveling and her family, especially her grandchildren. She also excelled at cooking homemade chicken and noodles and bread.

She is survived by three sons, Lester Johns and wife Kathy of Eufaula, Oklahoma, Donald Victor Johns and wife Iva Mae of Rush, Colorado, and Marvin Johns and wife Roxie of Newkirk, Oklahoma; three sisters, Betty Dacus and husband Jim of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Bernice Van Schuyver of Ponca City, Oklahoma, and Della Robinson of Ponca City, Oklahoma; a daughter-in-law, Dee Johns of Newkirk, Oklahoma; twenty two grandchildren; fifty-four great grandchildren; and forty-one great great grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Tommy Joe Johns and Terry Leroy Johns; a daughter, Clariene Sullivan; a brother, Howard Hendricks; five sisters, Arvella Coleman, Tillie Smith, Arvesta McClure, Zella Hendricks and Clarice Morris; two grandchildren, Jesse Allen Johns and Howard Johns; and two great grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 13th in the First Church of God in Blackwell with the Rev. Doyle Fortney officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Casketbearers will be Troy Johns, Butch Johns, Donnie Johns, Kenny Sullivan, Kenton Johns and Dewayne Driggers. Honorary casketbearers will be the grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren of Velma Johns.

A memorial has been established at the First Church of God in Blackwell in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home.

The family will be gathering at 1344 S. 9th in Blackwell to greet visitors.