Velma M. Holmes, 85, of Davenport passed away on February 6, 2023 at Genesis East Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Weerts Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 17, 2023 also at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery. Online condolences may be expressed at www.weertsfh.com
Velma was born on May 3, 1937 in Bunkie, Louisiana to Joseph and Ollie (Lachney) Ducote. She married Rex Ellis on August 6, 1961 in Des Moines and they later divorced. She was united in marriage to Charles E. Holmes on December 17, 1971 in Davenport. He preceded her in death on September 2, 1994. Velma worked as a machine operator for Wonder Bread for over thirty seven years. She retired in 1997. After finding retirement to be too idle, she went on to work in the bakery at Hy-Vee for eighteen more years.
Velma enjoyed sewing and working in her flower gardens. She was fond of the great outdoors and loved to go fishing, kick back, and listen to country music. Velma will be most remembered for her fine painting skills; in fact, her family bought her a can of silver paint for Christmas as a joke. She loved to entertain and she especially cherished the time she spent with her family.
Velma is survived by her children, Dave Henderson of Rock Island, Rex (Tiffany) Ellis of Blue Grass, and Sheila (John) Milder of Davenport; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; one great-grandbaby on the way and her boyfriend, Don Michel.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Charles and brother, Leonard Ducote.
