Velma Eugene Whitfield, 84, of Clarkton, Mo., died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Born Dec. 20, 1920, in Cottonwood Point, Mo., daughter of the late Henry and Frances Richardson Alexander, she attended the Assembly of God Church.

On Aug. 21, 1939, in Kennett, she married Herman James Whitfield, who preceded her in death on May 17, 2000. She was also preceded in death by one son, Richard James Whitfield; two brothers, Lee and Roy Smith and four sisters, Viola and Lottie Pate, Essie Brown and Mary Daniels.

Survivors include four daughters, Mary Frances McDonald and husband, L.D., of Haleyville, Ala., Glenda Freeman and husband, Jerry, of Phoenix, Ariz., Nancy Johnson and husband, Dewayne, of Parma, Idaho and Marcia Thornberry and husband, Frankie, of Clarkton, Mo.; one son, Herman Don Whitfield and wife, Stacy, of Kennett; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Bradshaw Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. James Bolin, David Wigger and Kelly Reed officiating.

Burial will follow at the Stanfield Cemetery near Clarkton.

She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her favorite Bible verse was Matthew 5:9--"Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God."

--Paid obituary