Velma Lee Davis

Velma Lee Waller (Davis) was born on December 9, 1931 to Mossie and Dennis Waller in El Dorado Arkansas. Velma always said she was born in Haynesville, Louisiana but her birth certificate states El Dorado, Arkansas. Velma was 93 years old and transitioned from this realm shortly after a visit with her granddaughter Amanda, Saturday evening on March 8th.

Velma grew up in Columbia County, Arkansas and attended Columbia High School in Magnolia. She was a devout Baptist and attended Bethlehem Baptist Church in Magnolia, Arkansas. She had 5 husbands who all proceeded her in death. Sonny Johnson, Arthur Evans, Glen Franklin, Rayda Mallory of Magnolia, Arkansas and Mr. Davis of Los Angeles, California. Velma had 6 children, Willie Morris Johnson (deceased), Rebecca Evans of Los Angeles, California, Gregory Evans (deceased), Glen Franklin, Jr. of Dallas, Texas, Amanda Mallory (deceased), Rayda Mallory, Jr. of Dallas Texas. Velma was also very close to her only brother Sylvester “Buddy” Waller who also proceeded her in death.

Velma relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1969 and was a successful entrepreneur and one of the first single black woman to purchase a home in 1973. She had a beautiful garden in her backyard with collards, mustards, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, lemons, poinsettias and even cannabis. She was very close to her cousins in Los Angeles, Oakland and Stockton and was a host of many parties and travels with her family and close friends. She always prepared Sunday dinner and holiday meals for her uncles and cousins to stop by for a plate. There are actual pictures of the meals she prepared for Easter, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She also made sure that anyone who needed some extra food got a few bags of groceries to take with them. She was a devout member of St Reed Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California for 20 years.

She eventually sold her Los Angeles home and moved back to Magnolia, Arkansas in 1993. When she retired, she moved to Dallas, Texas to be near her surviving children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She was a member and regular attendee at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas until onset dementia prevented her from going to church. She was well cared for during her sundown years by her granddaughter Amanda McKeever, her daughter Rebecca Evans, her son Rayda Mallory Jr. and her niece Patricia Waller.

To cherish her memory are her surviving children, her granddaughters, her nieces and nephews and a host of cousins and friends and extended family who have certainly been a part of Velma’s life.