Velma Harrison

The quiet spirit of Velma Leanis (Holt) Harrison left her body to await The Resurrection on October 21, 2020.

Velma was born into the home of her parents, Elmer Leanis Holt and Minnie Velma Mae (Tate) Holt on August 19, 1930. She received her eight grades of schooling at Shady Grove near Ann, Missouri, in Douglas County.

Due to the illness of her father, Velma and her brother, Louis Raymond, were unable to receive further schooling. But to Velma’s work and artistic ability this was never a hindrance. Her life accomplishments included her love of cooking and baking, sewing and crocheting. If she saw something she loved, she would make her own pattern. She also loved cake decorating, gardening, and most especially her flowers. Her flower gardens were visited many times by the Kansas City Flower Club.

Velma had a saying that anything worth doing was worth doing right. She was a dedicated follower of Jesus and a long time, steadfast member of the Southside Church of Christ in Mountain Grove, Missouri.

She married Lyle Turner Harrison on April 16, 1960. Two children were born to this union, Gerald and Valora. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together in their home earlier this year. Lyle and Velma were almost always together in their retirement years and enjoyed spending their time together. Where you found one, you always found the other. She was the mother of two, the grandmother of three, and the great-grandmother of seven beautiful girls, all of which she was very proud.

Velma was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle, her parents, Elmer and Minnie Holt, her husband’s parents, Wesley and Cleta Harrison, three brothers, Louis Raymond Holt, Sherman Ivan Holt, Dyane Holt, and one sister, Evelyn Baney.

She is survived by one son, Gerald Harrison of Mountain Grove, Missouri, one daughter, Valora Frey and her husband, Joseph, of Liberty, Missouri, three grandchildren, Jarred Harrison and his wife, Miranda, of Paoli, Oklahoma, Charissa Wilmes and her husband, David, of Easton, Missouri, and Seth Halford and his wife, Ieisha, of Kearney, Missouri, seven beautiful great-granddaughters, Jazmine Rose Harrison, fraternal twins, Gracie Lynn and Jaylynn Bliss Harrison, Kaydience Lee Smith, Bexlei Rayne Leanis Wilmes, Olivia Joann Halford, and Clair Jacklyn Halford, three brothers, Lonnie Holt and his wife, Charlotte, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, Wyane Holt and wife, Barbara, of Salem, Arkansas, and Vernon Holt and wife, Lanea, of Mackie, Idaho, three sisters, Leona Sanders of Wichita, Kansas, Thelma Faye Kincheloe and her husband, Von, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Joyce Holt, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and other relatives, friends, and church family who will dearly miss her.