WATKINS, Velma

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona Published Tuesday, October 5, 2010 Funeral services for Velma (Wiesenbach) Watkins, 90, took place in Murphysboro, Ill., on Sept. 27, 2010. A Celebration of Life service will be at St. Michael’s United Methodist Church, 2895 Jamaica Blvd., Lake Havasu City, at 10 a.m., Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Missionary or Youth Programs of St. Michael's United Methodist Church. At noon Saturday, a Teapot Auction will happen in the Fellowship Hall of St. Michaels. Velma requested that her teapot collection be sold with the proceeds going toward the mission work in Zimbabwe. Velma was born on Jan. 4, 1920, in Vergennes, Ill., the daughter of George and Dola Wiesenbach. Velma married James Watkins June 27, 1938, and he preceded her in death on June 14, 1981. She was a devoted Christian and a former member of the United Methodist Church in Murphysboro, Ill. After moving to Lake Havasu City, she joined St. Michael's. Velma worked tirelessly for her churches including serving on various committees, working with United Methodist Women, arranging or coordinating dinners and rummage sales, baking bread for Sunday visitors, participating in a Walk to Emmaus, and raising money for missionaries and youth groups. Velma named her special ministry “Pennies from Heaven.” This was her way of helping provide financial support for a missionary family in Zimbabwe. This past year, her penny donations also provided enough money to help feed many hungry families at Christmas time. In January of this year, for her 90th birthday, Velma received enough "pennies" to total $1,000, which she donated to help needy students with school tuition. In her spare time, she enjoyed Bunco, Bingo, and Mexican Train Dominos. Velma was also the "World's Greatest Mother" and would sacrifice everything for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of whom loved her very much. She was our “rock” and she is greatly missed. Survivors include her son, Harold Watkins, of Bakersfield, Calif.; three daughters, Nancy (Watkins) Nichols and her husband, Ted Nichols, of Lake Havasu City, Shirley (Watkins) Walker and her husband, Dick Walker, and their dog, Shadow —Velma's buddy — of Lake Havasu City, Carol (Watkins) Wehmeyer, of Murphysboro, and son in law Fred Wehmeyer, of Murphysboro; two granddaughters, Marcie (Wehmeyer) Mileur, and her husband, Joey Mileur, of Murphysboro, and Janice Watkins, of Huntington Beach, Calif.; two grandsons, Steve Nichols and his wife, Renee Nichols, of Schaumburg, Ill. and Tim Nichols and his wife, Sherry Nichols, of Joliet, Ill.; one great-granddaughter, Lauren Nichols, of Plainfield, Ill.; five great-grandsons, Michael Nichols, serving in the military, Tyler Nichols, of Aurora, Ill., Jeremy Nichols, of Joliet, Ill., Cody Wehmeyer and Carter Mileur, both of Murphysboro; a niece, Peggy Schuster, of Murphysboro; a cousin, Floyd Arendell, of Overgaard, Ariz.; a great God-child, Brittnay Zabodyn, of Anaheim, Calif.; and many, many dear friends. Velma was preceded in death by her parents, two younger brothers, her husband, a daughter, Sherry Lynn Watkins, and a grandson, Scott Wehmeyer. "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)