VELMA HOLSHOUSER

Velma Drucille Allen Holshouser, 85, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 1, 2000, at Fountainbleau Lodge in Cape Girardeau.

Velma was born Sept. 18, 1914, in Steele, Mo., daughter of Thomas Lindell Allen and Bertha Belle Baker Allen. Her father died in 1916. Her mother later married Otto Gross who raised her like his own. They moved to Cape Girardeau in 1924 from Kennett, Mo.

She graduated from Central High School in 1932 and from Southeast Missouri State University in 1957. She did graduate work at Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Missouri.

Velma and Charles Mason Holshouser were married Nov. 29, 1934. He died in World War II, Dec. 8, 1944.

She taught at Washington Elementary School 19 years, retiring in 1976.

She was a member of Maple United Methodist Church since 1928, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, director of Junior Choir, chairman of Council on Ministries, chairman of education, member of Administrative Board and Finance Committee, also a member of the choir and United Methodist Women as chairman of Christian Personhood.

She is survived by two sons, Thomas Charles Holshouser and wife Judith S. and John Allen Holshouser and wife Jan; a half brother, Carl Otto Gross; four grandchildren, Charles Kevin Holshouser, Timothy Keith Holshouser, Laurie Ann Essner and Kimberly Kay Holshouser; and two great-grandchildren, Brittany Nicole and Madeline Rose Essner.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, three half brothers, and a half sister.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel from 4-8 p.m. today.

Funeral will be at the chapel at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, with the Rev. John Gregory officiating. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery in St. Louis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Maple United Methodist Church Building Fund.