Velva A. Stephens

Velva Ann Stephens was born June 11, 1933, just five miles from Atkins in the Bells Chapel Community, Pope County, Arkansas, the daughter of Roy Walter Judkins and Bessie Sue Gray. Velva attended Bells Chapel schools. When Velva was 13 years old, Bessie moved her and her 4 siblings to Dardanell, Yell County Arkansas, where they lived with Aunt Oreta Gray Largent. This is where they would get on a truck that took people to the bottom lands to chop and pick cotton to make a living. Velva would miss the first weeks of school working to buy school clothes, which made it very difficult for her to catch up on schoolwork. In the fall of 1950, at age 17, she went to Lechful, Arkansas with Aunt Nola and some of her children to pick cotton there. It was there she met Clayton George Bryant, and they married in December of 1950. In January of 1951, Clayton and Velva moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma; there, they had their firstborn: a son, Jerry Lee, in August of 1951. In September of 1952, a second son, Clay Allen, was born. Their third son was born in April of 1956, Huey Wayne, and then a daughter in December of 1958, Marsha Ann. Velva worked as a nurse’s aide at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Later, she trained to wrap meat and then worked for Safeway Stores where she wrapped meat for 14 years until age 46, when she fell and hurt her back and was forced to retire. Clayton and Velva divorced and she married her second husband, Billy Stephens, in April of 1972 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Velva loved to make crafts and sew. She also loved Conway Twitty, Elvis and Alabama; Hello Darlin’ was one of her very favorite songs. Velva is a longtime member of Daughters of the American Revolution. Velva is survived by two sons, Jerry Lee Bryant and Huey Wayne Bryant; one daughter, Marsha Ann Molloy; one sister, Ethyl Sue McCarty; one brother, Malvin Curtis Judkins; 14 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren and numerous other relatives. She is preceded in death by her mother, Bessie Sue Reynolds; father, Roy Walter Judkins; son, Clay Allen Bryant; great-grandson, Colton Edward J. Stites; sister, Erma Lee Masters; brother, Roy Huey Judkins; brother, John Charles Judkins; and brother, Guy Reynolds, Jr.. Viewing will be held from 3:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, September 10, 2015 at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 3612 E. 91st St. South, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 P.M., Friday, September 11, 2015 at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel. Family suggests memorial contributions be made to DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). Moore's Southlawn Chapel: 918-663-2233

Velva A. Stephens

June 11, 1933 - September 7, 2015