Velma Jean Shreffler

Velma Jean Shreffler, 88, passed away on January 16, 2015, holding her youngest daughter’s hand and surrounded by loving family. She was born on August 9, 1926 in Claremore, Oklahoma to Pauline and John Officer.

With the encouragement and support of her Mom and Dad, Velma studied vocal music as a young person and was an ‘in-high-demand” performer in her community. She was a regular at the Ponca City Library and librarians years later shared with family that she had pretty much read the entire collection. Upon entering Oklahoma College for Women, she was asked to join a vocal quartet, which she did. Her fellow musicians wrote a song for her to seal their bond. The first line went like this: “Heels and hose or out she goes!” Velma graduated with Honors (and heels and hose), having studied music and journalism.

Upon graduation, she went to work for the Ponca City News, where she met her future husband, Luther Ray Shreffler. He proposed - she said, ‘Yes!” and they began their life together in Ponca City.

Velma was passionate about her family, and babies in general - no matter who they belonged to, as well as politics, music, and sports. She was a devoted advocate of Governor Ann Richards and frequently engaged in lively discussions about the importance of women’s rights and the need for their voice in leadership decisions throughout the world. Her daughter, Susan, recalls her Mom telling her, “Don’t marry a doctor … be a doctor.” Velma loved Susan’s strength, beauty and her fierce loyalty. Her daughter Barbara holds precious that her Mom was her first music partner, accompanying her on the piano and encouraging her at every step in her music career. Velma adored her sons, being the best football fan (and perhaps the loudest ever) at son Andrew’s football games and marveling at son Tom’s go-cart expertise and joy of life. Her son John shares that she, as Choir Mistress for the adult and children’s choirs at Grace Episcopal Church in Ponca City, taught the children’s choir, which he was in, all of the Bach pieces in the 1940 Hymnal. John remembers with joy how intensely she felt those pieces and how deeply she understood them.

Amazing to think that a Mom with five small children could be so passionate about Bach through all the noise and be able to convince a bunch of 8 and 9 year-old fledgling choristers to follow her lead. But she did. Later in life Velma shared that what she was most proud of was to have raised five, independent, intelligent and good people, each with their own personality. Velma also delighted in the friends of her children. There are quite a few folks who called her their second Mom.

Velma is preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Luther Ray Shreffler, her son Tom, her parents, Pauline and John Officer, and her much loved sister-in-law Vera Jean Officer and nephews Neal Officer and Stanley Shreffler.

She is survived by her adored brother Wallace Officer; her nieces Candace Smith, Becky Sossaman (husband Jerry), Becky Shreffler, Linda Antalosky, and Marta Abrams and nephew Ray Shreffler; her children: Susan Zeletz (and husband Frank Zeletz) of Houston, John Shreffler (and wife Anne Chatoney Shreffler) of Boston, Andrew Shreffler (and partner Shelly Stevens) of Houston, and Barbara Shreffler (and husband Robert Hunter Estep) of Houston; six grandchildren: Jen Coble (husband Chris and daughter Julia), Carl Johnson (wife Jessie and son Miller), Henry Shreffler, Genevieve Zeletz, Tracy Zeletz, and Ana Lisa Schwartz (husband Stu and daughters Jillian and Daisy).

The family would like to give heartfelt and sincere thanks to Kathy Giles, whose loving caregiving gave Velma more time and more quality of life in that additional time. Additionally, they thank Sarah Selleck, M.D., for the compassionate and expert health care that she provided to Velma as well as the wise guidance that she gave to Velma’s family.

A musical celebration of Velma's Life will be held on Saturday, March 28th at 2:00 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church located at 3816 Bellaire Blvd Houston, Texas 77025.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Velma's life to Texas Children’s Hospital, the Houston SPCA and the Houston Humane Society.