Benton, Velma Boyd 

Funeral services for Velma Ruth Boyd Benton will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, 
July 15, 2006, at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Longview, with the Rev. H.C. 
Rockmore officiating. Velma was born March 25, 1921, in Hallsville, to Ella 
Dedmon Boyd and Zack Boyd. She was baptized at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church 
in Hallsville by her father and the Rev. S.H. Howard. She was a faithful 
member throughout her life at Pleasant Hill and later Jerusalem Baptist 
Church in Longview, which was her home church during her adult life. Velma's 
early school years were in the Hallsville schools. She then attended Longview 
Colored High School. She worked for many years as a podiatry assistant in the 
offices of Dr. I.E. Willis Jr. and Dr. Selwyn Willis. There, she met many 
friends. Velma married Raminal Benton on November 21, 1974, in Kilgore. Velma 
joins in heaven now her parents, Ella and Zack Boyd; her brothers, Edmond 
Boyd, Emmett Boyd; and her sisters, Luevennia Long, Ida Boyd, Elnora Davis, 
and Virginia Dunn. Those morning her are her husband, Raminal; her daughter, 
Phyllis Waelder; "son," Eric Waelder, Phyllis' husband; granddaughters, 
Melissa Waelder Cannon (Lonnie), Emily Rebecca Waelder, and Erin Alexandra 
Waelder; great-grandson, Nicholas Cannon; great-granddaughter, Alexandra 
Cannon; step-daughters, Shirley Snoddy, Margaret Benton, Gussie Armstrong, 
and Yolanda Benton; step-son, Daryl Benton; numerous step-grandchildren; 
sisters, Ruby Shaw, Ella Hamilton, Helen Daniels, and Ester Daniels; and 
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The wake will be from 6:30-9 
p.m. Friday evening, July 14, 2006, at Stanmore Funeral Home, 1105 Martin 
Luther King Boulevard in Longview.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 7/14/2006.