Velma was born on May 28, 1940, in Meridian MS, the third daughter to Melvin and Meldora (Ware) Mitchell whom both preceded her in death. She graduated from Harris High School.  Following her graduation, she moved to Pennsylvania for a short period of time before moving back home.

In 1960, Velma decided to move to Chicago to pursue new horizons and opportunities with her older sister Elma (deceased) and oldest niece, Dorothea, whom she affectionately called Thea. She immediately landed a position at Spiegel's, while simultaneously attending cosmetology school, resulting in her obtaining her license in 1963. After serving the many women in the community with her artful styling and hair knowledge for 15 years she decided it was time for a change.

She started her second career as a United State Postal Clerk.  Velma worked in a variety of positions due to her strong work ethic.  Velma wanted all the overtime she could get   She served at the post office for 33 years until her retirement in January 2002.

Velma's Six Greatest Joys

1. Serving in the church
Velma accepted the Lord early on in her childhood while attending church with her parents.  She became a faithful member of Omega Baptist Church in Chicago until she left.  She joined Southside Missionary Baptist Church upon relocating to Columbus, MS. She served on the usher board and thoroughly enjoyed being on the I Care Committee, which was a group of church members who visited the sick and shut in to share the gospel while offering encouragement and prayers. Velma believed in tithing and did so faithfully.

2. Meridianites
As a proud follower of the Meridianites for 10 years, she took great joy in supporting the organization's annual conventions with her niece, Thea.  An organization focused on reuniting old friends, the Meridianites taught the values of servanthood, professionalism, and self-worth.

3. Bowling
She loved to bowl, as she had received numerous trophies (well over 100), plaques and ribbons.  She took great pride in displaying her talent and was one of the most sought after bowlers within the US Postal league.  She often served as the Assistant Bowling Captain for multiple teams.  She loved traveling to other cities to compete.

4. Travel
Once exposed to cruise ship traveling, Velma was hooked. She had a passion for exploring the various cruise lines and their casinos as well.     She would often speak very fondly of her travel experiences with her friends. She was proud of the numerous cruises she had the opportunity to experience.

5. She also loved serving home cooked meals--many from scratch. It pleased Velma to know that her delicious home cooked meals/bakery had a lasting impact on the person who consumed every morsel with delight.  Due to the many requests of those who experienced her skillful expertise in the kitchen, prompted her to start Velma's Catering Kitchen.  Velma would cater birthdays, family reunions and weddings, all while working her day job. After retirement from the USPS, she moved to Columbus to assist her brother
George, with his restaurant The Grill Sergeant Barbecue for two years.

As Velma's health became more challenging, which prevented her from indulging in her six favorite pastimes, she became an avid basketball fan. Kevin Durant was her favorite player. She loved the game so much, she would watch the replays of a game she had just watched the night before.

6. Much later in life she discovered the joys of social media—a newfound pastime. She was quick to comment and share posts made by others. Velma also reconnected and stayed connected to family and friends and would keep up with the latest in entertainment and news through Facebook.

Velma, 82, transitioned to the presence of her maker on March 17, 2023, after soldiering through the myriad of health challenges. She is preceded in death by her sisters: Elma Doby and Fannie Kate McElroy; and her brother, George Mitchell.

Velma loved her family dearly and leaves a host of family members to cherish her legacy which includes: her nieces, Dorothea (Craig) Freeman, Anika (Pete) Perkins, Anita, Pamela, Monica Mitchell: sister-in-law, nephews, nieces and a host of other relatives and friends.

Carter's Funeral Services is inviting you to a scheduled livestream for the Homegoing Celebration for Ms. Velma D. King
on March 25, 2023 at 2:00 PM CST.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2061604094?pwd=5hKBLbt1GETr1roA0NKfvG2PO78gCk.1

Meeting ID: 206 160 4094
Passcode: carters