Resting in the Lord

It’s not often you can spot the end of an era in this fast-moving world but the death of Velma Welch on October 25 at the home of her daughter, Susan, can make one think.

Velma and her husband Buford were founding members of Memphis GCI, or Radio Church of God as it was known, in the summer of 1961 and went on to serve loyally as Deacon and Deaconess for many decades.

Buford was born in Falkner, MI and served on the USS Stanly in the Pacific War from 1942 to 1945 where his little destroyer was part of a Presidential Citation for action during such events as the Solomon Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns to name a few. Upon returning to Memphis in 1945 he soon met Velma who had moved in from Corbin, Kentucky (home of Colonel Sanders!) to find work. She soon met Buford, whom she married in 1947.

A daughter, Susan, was born in 1949 who went on to become a receptionist at her church headquarters in Pasadena, CA and serve as a well-known Registrar at Grace Communion Seminary from 2009 to 2015. So Tim worked at the well-known advertising firm of Pepper and Tanner in Memphis and later became entertainment coordinator for the annual Memphis Fair.

Velma will be placed alongside her husband at West Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery on November 2 preceded by a viewing and reception at Serenity Funeral Home from 11:30-1:30 AM.

One of her favorite scriptures was Revelation 14:13, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time, Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labour for their works follow them.”

How wonderful to know, our labours are not unnoticed by the One we all serve.