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Velma Colleen Ray Case, 89, died unexpectedly Saturday afternoon in her Ponca City, Okla., home, attended by family members. A celebration of life will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, July 6, at Woodlands Christian Church, Ponca City.
Born in Ponca City, March 23, 1930, to Edgar James Ray and Thelma Linscott Ray, Velma was an only child. Yet in the span of nearly 90 years, she surrounded herself with a large family and dozens of life-long friends who also claim her as family.
A Ponca City Highschool graduate (class of 1948), she began undergraduate music studies at Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa, Okla., where she met Robert A. Case. They were married Oct. 16, 1949 in Ponca City. She postponed her educational pursuits to begin a family. The couple made their home in Noble County where Robert began a career in Farmer’s Cooperative management.
By the time the family moved to Rogers, Ark, in 1961, they had four children. The fifth child arrived soon after the relocation. Two years later, Robert was hired as manager of the Farmer’s Coop in McPherson, Kans. Velma participated in the church choir and focused on raising the children. In 1967 they settled in Kingfisher, Okla., where they would make their home for the next three decades.
A vocal and keyboard musician, Velma volunteered in Disciples church music programs. She taught piano lessons, then sang and played piano professionally, before becoming a music teacher in the rural Big Four School system. Later, she served as music teacher at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Kingfisher.
But her children were her primary music students. Working with the interests of each, she instilled in them a life-long passion for vocal and instrumental music.
A devoted part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations in the towns where she lived, she volunteered her musical expertise, performing in choirs, ensembles and solos. A crowning achievement was successfully founding and directing bell choirs at the First Christian Church in Kingfisher, and later in Ponca City, at the Woodlands Christian Church.
Fascinated with cooking and writing, Velma served as editor of a popular cooking page for the Kingfisher Times and Free Press in the 1970s and 1980s. She interviewed local nonagenarians, revealing little-known information on their lives - as well as the secrets behind their favorite recipes.
An accomplished hand-work artist, Velma designed clothing for her family - from costumes to wedding dresses - and later added heirloom quilts, crocheting and knitting to her accomplishments, winning multiple awards.
An avid traveler, she co-hosted scores of tours with her husband, including Alaska, Canada, Yellowstone, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and Mexico. Among her favorite international tours was a two-week trip to the Holy Land in 1995.
Determined to complete her associate degree, she enrolled at Cowley County Community College, Arkansas City, Kans., and graduated with honors at age 60 in 1990.
Her social engagement included participation in Beta Sigma Phi, AIC and Young Farmers of America. She also served as Worthy Matron in Eastern Star.
Part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for seven decades, she was a member of Woodlands Christian Church in Ponca City for 22 years.
Besides her husband, Robert, she is survived by her five children: Cathy Jean Clark of Edmond; Amy Colleen (David) Madison of Cibolo, TX; Robert A. Case, Jr. of Stillwater, Okla., Patricia R. Case (Lori Adams) of Lebanon, Ind., and James Virgil (Deanna) Case of Guthrie, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; as well as a number of extended family members and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Woodlands First Christian Church Velma Case Memorial Fund.
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