Verdonna Faye Timmons, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2026, at the age of 86. She was born on December 4, 1939, in Holdenville, Oklahoma, to Verda Leona (Bland) Graham and William Woodson Graham.

Verdonna shared 59 loving years of marriage with her husband, Jack Wesley Timmons, until his passing in 2024. She and Jack met in 1962 at Oklahoma State University during her junior year, beginning a partnership that would become the center of a warm and full family life. Together, they built a home filled with love, friendship, good meals, laughter, and the people who mattered most to them.

Verdonna earned a bachelor's degree in vocational education and a master's degree in counseling, and she spent much of her professional life helping students and families through Tulsa Public Schools. As a school counselor, she served at Academy Central, Chouteau Elementary, and Rogers High School before retiring in 2002. She was a dedicated and passionate leader, pursuing excellence and advocating for students to receive quality and equitable education in rich, nurturing environments. Her work reflected what came naturally to her: listening with compassion, encouraging others, and helping people discover their strengths.

Verdonna was creative, curious, and full of personality. Cooking was one of the clearest ways she showed love. She enjoyed trying new recipes, preparing favorite dishes for family and friends, and hosting dinner parties where everyone could count on good food, lively conversation, and plenty of laughter.

Her artistic side found expression in many forms over the years. She explored embroidery, stained glass, and other crafts before discovering a lasting passion for glass bead and jewelry artistry. From her home in Tulsa, she spent many years designing and creating beautiful pieces that reflected her eye for color and detail. Her artwork brought her joy and connected her with a community of fellow artists through bead-making conferences and regional craft shows.

Verdonna also delighted in life's simple pleasures. She loved being surrounded by family and friends, sharing meals, and making memories together. At home, she enjoyed a good mystery novel with a cat nearby and cheering on Oklahoma football and basketball teams from the living room sofa. Around a board game or card table, her competitive spirit often emerged, accompanied by a quick wit and an infectious smile.

She and Jack loved to travel, and some of her favorite memories came from trips through Arkansas with dear friends and Christmas holidays in the Caribbean with family.

Music was another thread woven throughout her life. Folk and gospel songs brought her comfort and joy, and she loved singing and playing the dulcimer. That love of music began in childhood, when she and her siblings sang together in the family kitchen while helping with the dishes.

Those who knew Verdonna will remember her kindness, generosity, sense of humor, and the spark of sass that made her unmistakably herself. Her deep and lifelong Christian faith sustained her throughout her life and provided strength and comfort in her later years.

Although Parkinson's disease changed many parts of her daily life, it never diminished the warmth, resilience, and spirit that her family and friends cherished.

Verdonna is survived by her sister, Charlotte Raye (Graham) Barnes; her daughters, Laurie Rae (Timmons) Goswick and Suzanne Dalene Timmons; her granddaughter, Sophie Elizabeth Goswick; and her sons-in-law, Gary Goswick and Greg Pottebaum. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Wesley Timmons; her parents; and her siblings, Helen Dalene (Graham) Boren and John R. (JR) Graham.

No public services are planned. Her immediate family will gather privately at a later date to remember her, share stories, and celebrate the life she built and the love she gave so freely.