It was early Sunday morning when the call came, February 9, 1992. I was closing a meeting at Turlock, Ca. that very Lord's Day. I had spent the night with Richard and Glenda DeGough, and we had stayed up late visiting as preachers often do when the opportunity to visit each other presents itself. The caller was Travis Cook, and he told me the sad news that Velma had passed away early that morning. What a shock.

As I reflect on all the years I have known her, so many memories come to mind. I was raised within shouting distance of Velma and Clovis' home near the old Lee's Summit congregation not far from Lebanon, Mo. As a matter of fact, many of my most treasured memories are from those years long ago now. I can just see the old home church where so many preachers lived. Homer Gay, Hughlet Robertson, Charles Lee, Clovis Cook and my own father, Homer L. King, preached there regularly I remember how Velma loved the church even then and loved to attend every meeting within possible driving distance. She was never interested in things of the world. Fashion and style were not really uppermost to her, though she always looked nice I thought.

I remember the smells of her kitchen yet as she cooked at night for Clovis and Travis, and I often lingered around as they would sit at the small table over near the door to eat. I remember how she would look over at me and say, "Don, you better get on home now. Papa will be worried about you and wonder where you are." I suppose I knew, even then, that she was more concerned with getting rid of a pesky little boy at supper time than with whether or not someone might be worried, but I went home anyway. What happened to all those years?

Time passed. I grew up, moved to California, married and eventually became a gospel preacher. No one encouraged me more than did she. Though she was riot known for her many compliments, she was complimentary of me and to me. I recall the last meeting I held in Springfield MO in their new building she told me as I was leaving for the plane, "I have really enjoyed your preaching." She was that way. She loved good preaching, in fact, she had no patience with "poor preaching," as she called it. She loved old time preaching with lots of Bible in it. She would always remind you that "Papa" was that kind of preacher. She loved preachers who were true to the Book, and it was fitting that she spend her life with Clovis Cook, a gospel preacher. She was both his most loyal listener and his most ardent critic when they were alone.

Since 1976 I have been involved in publishing Old Paths Advocate. My father published the paper since 1932 so Velma had grown up around "the Paper." Clovis has been an editor now for some thirty years and was involved in helping my father, in various ways, for many years before he became an editor. OPA has been, for as long as I can remember, a part of the King family. It was a huge part of my father's life and concern. The family used to get together to put it out every month. Then, the papers all had to be individually wrapped, pasted, addressed etc. Everyone had a job. Through the years that I have been associated with the paper, no one had more concern for the paper's welfare than did Velma. If it was late, she wanted an answer from me as to why. She loved the paper and understood what it took to make it succeed as much as anyone. When we decided to publish some special issues, she reminded me that "Papa was always careful about spending a lot of money." I wonder how many times I have joked with her as to how "Papa" would handle the various problems I have had to face in publishing the paper.

Velma was different than anyone I have ever known. She was fiercely loyal to the Lord's church and loved it more than life itself. She was loyal to family too; as long as you were trying to do right. If not, you could count on her to quickly oppose you.

I am so sorry those times with her are gone. I don't even like to think about life without her, yet I must. I was frustrated with her at times, yet I loved her. More, I realize now, than ever I realized. Many Saturdays over the years we spoke by telephone and enjoyed laughing together. Velma often would say she was "blue as indigo," but she would soon be laughing and it was obvious she loved to laugh. A very important time of my life has ended. Perhaps no one had a greater influence upon me than Clovis and Velma. I have loved to tell stories about them all my life. She is gone now and she was my sister.-DLK.