Velma Farrenburg

KENNETT -- Velma Marie Farrenburg, 83, formerly of the Farrenburg community in New Madrid County, passed away at 4:15 a.m. Sept. 1, 2007, at the NHC Nursing Facility in Kennett.

She was born Nov. 16, 1923, at Lamar, Ark., daughter of the late Thomas Frank and Augusta Christine Doerr Sparks. She graduated from Lilbourn High School in 1942. She attended Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark., and Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She worked as a teacher in several New Madrid County Schools then worked as a secretary in New Madrid County Junior High School before retiring in 1990. On April 27, 1990, she was named by the New Madrid Chamber of Commerce as Secretary of the Year.

She and Harold "Bud" Farrenburg were married June 15, 1946, in the Laforge Church. She was confirmed as a member of the Lilbourn First Baptist Church in 1947, then became a member of Farrenburg Brethren Church in later years.

She was preceded in death by her husband "Bud" in 1993; her parents; one sister, Eileen Heppe, who had lived in Phoenix, Ariz.; and two brothers, Kermit C. Sparks, who had lived in Lamar, Ark., and Lyle Quinton Sparks who had lived in Oscoda, Mich.

Survivors include, one daughter, Teresa McCulloch of Steele; one grandson, Mackenzie McCulloch of Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss.; three sisters, Christine Fox of Williamsburg, Va., Pauline Scholes, Temecula, Calif., and Laverne Olson of Cape Girardeau; two brothers-in-law, Herman Maxwell and Buck Farrenburg of New Madrid County; one sister-in-law, Edna Sparks of the state of Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service and interment was held Sunday at Sikeston Memorial Park Cemetery.

Richards Funeral Home of New Madrid was in charge of funeral arrangements.

Paid obituary