Velma Jean (Tubbs) Taylor

Velma Taylor was born August 19, 1943 to Freddie Tubbs and Virginia Boykin in the little country settlement in Payson, Oklahoma six miles North of Meeker, Oklahoma.  Velma was the oldest of five children.  

West of Payson Velma attended the St. Paul Baptist Church in Meeker. While attending school she was transported by bus from Meeker, Oklahoma to Douglass School in Chandler.  Her first year of school she cried every day because she did not want to go to school.  They were Integrated and she attended Meeker schools until 6th grade.  Moved to Chandler in 1957 where she attended Chandler schools.  Velma went until the 11th grade and in 1959, she quit because she did not like school!  Velma married John Taylor on October 19, 1964, to this union two children were born Russell Taylor & Demetra Taylor.    

Velma worked in five different Café’s, she was a dishwasher, short order cook.  She even worked for Paul Brewers as a dishwasher and a cook’s helper. She cleaned houses and did ironing.  Velma worked at the Chandler Head Start, and she got her GED in 1995 and acquired her credentials.  Velma was employed for the Chandler Head Start for 32 years and retired in 2000.  She joined Central Baptist under the leadership of the late Reverend Willie Bates.  

Now under the leadership of Pastor James E. Reed, Sr., Velma was a devoted member of Central, she loved attending church, she held several positions throughout her lifetime.  She would say “if no one else is going to Heaven I know that I am.”  Last November during the Church Homecoming Celebration Velma was Crowned 2022 Homecoming Queen. She accepted the position with honor!

She loved to cook, garden and tend to her flowers. She would find things to do to help those in the community.  Velma would say that I’m trying to be the best Christian person that I know how to be.     

She was preceded in death by her parents, Freddie and Virginia, husband, John; son Russell; and her brother, Eddie Ray Anderson
Velma leaves to cherish her memory, her daughter Demetra (Mike) Williams, Chandler, Oklahoma; her two Aunts: Bonnie Taylor of Chandler, Oklahoma and Theola Carter of Oklahoma City, OK, four siblings: Carolyn Anderson, Naomi Ruth Anderson both of Phoenix, Arizona; Virginia “Tiny” Anderson, Temple, Texas and David (Wanda) Anderson of Temple, Texas, two brothers-in-law; Louis (Sandy) Taylor of St. Angelo, Texas and George Hornbeck of Stroud, Oklahoma, four grandchildren Christopher Taylor (Jenny), R.D. (Misty) Taylor, Rodney Taylor and Jessica Williams-McCaskill, nine great-grandchildren: Christopher “Little John” Taylor, Peyton Taylor, Bryson Taylor, Brianna Taylor, Preston McCaskill, William McCaskill, Elijah McCaskill, Isaiah McCaskill and Woodrow Taylor and two special friends-daughters Diane Johnson and Demetra Lewis, and Barry Lewis whom she considered as a son, her very dear friend Shirley Humphrey and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.  
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2023 at the First Baptist Church of Chandler with interment following at Clearview Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Lehman Funeral Home of Wellston.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Velma Jean (Tubbs) Taylor, please visit our floral store.