December 2005 letter from the Family of Velva Walden

Dear Friends and Relatives of Velva Walden,

We are sorry to tell you that Velva died a couple of hours after sunrise on December 17. She was under hospice care for only about two weeks and only the last three and a half days was she unable to talk, eat, or drink. Even in these last days she slept peacefully much of the time and had people with her at all times.

Velva died in the home of son David and daughter-in-law Sara in East Sandwich, Massachusetts. Son Daniel and daughter-in-law June visited with Velva the afternoon and evening before she died. Many other family members had seen her recently, she talked on the phone with a cousin only a few days before, and nearly until the end we read arriving Christmas cards to her.

According to Velva's wishes, she was cremated, and we will have a memorial service at 11am on January 6 at Holy Cross United Methodist Church, 1200 W. Hammer Lane, Stockton, California, near the biggest concentration of her family. Her ashes will be buried with those of husband Clarence at Memory Gardens in Concord, California.

Velva lived the last years of her life with great determination to make the best of them. She enjoyed the new people she met in Stockton. When people came to visit her in East Sandwich, she roused herself to be with them however tired or ill she might be feeling: she would call and ask to be helped out of bed, saying, ``I want to be with the people.'' She kept in touch with old friends and family as well as she was able by phone, email, and letter. After a decline in late 2002, she rebuilt her strength by riding her exercise machine for 35 minutes a day, seven days a weeks, until a few weeks before she died. She enjoyed being read to and recommended her books to other people. She enjoyed eating and liked a lot of seasoning.

Thank you for being such good friends to Velva for so long.

Love from,
The Family of Velva Walden

Obituaries

December 22, 2005, The World, Coos Bay, OR

Velva M. Walden
Feb. 24, 1915 - Dec. 17, 2005

A memorial service for Velva M. Walden, 90, of East Sandwich, Mass., will be held in early 2006 in Stockton, Calif.

Velva Magdalena Diede was born Feb. 24, 1915, in Antelope, N.D., to Christian and Maria Diede. She died from complications of Parkinson's disease on Dec. 17, 2005, in East Sandwich.

Velva met her husband, Clarence Walden, in Washington, and they later lived for many years in California, where they were public school teachers. In 1971, Velva and Clarence retired to the Coos Bay area. After Clarence's death, Velva continued to live in Coos Bay. She had lived in Coos Bay for 30 years.

She was active in, or volunteered for, many organizations in the Coos Bay area, including Temporary Help in Emergency House, Help Line, Widows Support Group, Church Women United, Coos Bay Presbyterian Church, the Democratic Party and the Oregon Coast Music Festival. For a number of years, before she left Coos Bay, Velva was a regular aquacise participant at Bay Area Athletic Club.

In 2001, Velva moved to an assisted living facility near one of her daughters in Stockton. In 2004, she moved to the home of one of her sons in East Sandwich, where she lived at the time of her death.

Velva is survived by her four children and their spouses, Edna Heller, Velma Hampson, Daniel Walden and David Walden; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the First Presbyterian Church of Coos Bay, 438 Elrod St., Coos Bay, OR, 97420; or Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 986, Coos Bay, OR 97420-0219.

December 23, 2005, Cape Cod Times; December 30, 2005, Sandwich Enterprize
Velva M. Walden, 90
Mother of four; lived in E. Sandwich for 17 months

EAST SANDWICH - Velva M. Walden, 90, died Saturday of complications from Parkinson's disease.

She had lived with her son David Walden and daughter-in-law Sara in East Sandwich for the past 17 months.

Survivors include four children, Edna Heller, Velma Hampson, Daniel Walden and David Walden; two brothers; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in Stockton, Calif.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 270 Communication Way, Hyannis, MA 02601.

December 24, 2005, Contra Costa Times, Contra Costa County, CA

Velva M. Walden Feb. 24, 1915 - Dec. 17, 2005

Velva Walden was born Velva Magdalena Diede on a farm in Antelope, North Dakota. She was the daughter of Christian Diede and Maria Reich Diede and sister of Oscar, Herman, Ishmael, and Lloyd Diede.

Velva met her husband, Clarence Walden, in Washington state where they both taught school. Later they moved to California where they raised their children to adulthood and continued to teach. Clarence taught at Pittsburg High School, and Velva taught for nearly twenty years in the Antioch elementary schools. They, with other a few other couples, also founded the Presbyterian church in Pittsburg.

In 1971, Velva and Clarence retired to the Coos Bay, OR, area. After Clarence's death, Velva continued to live in Coos Bay where she was active in or volunteered for many organizations.

In 2001 Velva moved to an assisted living facility near one of her daughters in Stockton, CA. In 2004 she moved to the home of one of her sons in East Sandwich, MA, where she resided at the time of her death from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

A memorial service will be held at 11am on January 6, 2006, in Stockton, CA, at the Holy Cross United Methodist Church.

Velva is survived by her four children, Edna Heller, Velma Hampson, Daniel Walden and David Walden, and their spouses, brothers Ishmael Diede and Lloyd Diede, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Gifts in memory of Velva might be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., 1501 NW 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, Florida 33136-1494 or to Habitat for Humanity International, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709-3498.

December 26, 2005, Stockton Record, Stockton, CA

East Sandwhich, MA
Velva M. Walden
Feb. 24, 1915 - December 17, 2005

Velva Walden was born Velva Magdalena Diede on a farm in Antelope, North Dakota. She was the daughter of Christian Diede and Maria Reich Diede and sister of Oscar, Herman, Ishmael and Lloyd Diede. She attended Dickinson Normal School, became a teacher, taught in a one-room school house and later attended the state college in Ellensberg, WA. Velva met her husband, Clarence Walden, in Washington where they both taught school. Later they moved to California where they raised their children to adulthood and continued to teach.

In 1971, Velva and Clarence retired to the Coos Bay, OR, area. After Clarence's death, Velva continued to live in Coos Bay where she was active in or volunteered for many organizations.

In 2001 Velva moved to an assisted living facility near one of her daughters in Stockton, CA. In 2004 she moved to the home of one of her sons in East Sandwich, MA, where she resided at the time of her death from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

Velva is survived by her four children, Edna Heller, Velma Hampson, Daniel Walden and David Walden; their spouses; brothers, Ishmael Diede and Lloyd Diede; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on January 6, 2006, at the Holy Cross United Methodist Church in Stockton, CA.

Gifts in memory of Velva might be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., 1501 NW 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, Florida 33136-1494 or to Habitat for Humanity International, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709-3498.

December 28, 2005, Hebron Herald, Hebron, ND

Velva Walden
     Velva Walden died Saturday, December 17, 2005 in Massachusetts.
     Velva was born Velva Magdalena Diede in Antelope, North Dakota on February 14, 1915. She was the daughter of Christian Diede and Maria Reich Diede. She was a sister of Oscar, Herman, Ishmael and Lloyd Diede.
     Velva met her husband, Clarence Walden, in Washington State and they later lived for many years in California where they were public school teachers.
     In 1971, Velva and Clarence retired to the Coos Bay, OR area. Following Clarence’s death, Velva continued to live in Coos Bay.
     In 2001 she moved to an assisted living facility near one of her daughters in Stockton, CA.
     In 2004 Velva moved to the home of a son in East Sandwich, MA where she resided at the time of her death from complications of Parkinson’s Disease.
     A memorial service will be held Friday, January 6, 2006 at Holy Cross United Methodist Church in Stockton, CA.
     Velva is survived by her four children – Edna Heller, Velva Hampson, Daniel and David, their spouses, five grandchildren, three great grandchildren, brothers Ishmael and Lloyd and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
     Velva was the author of The History and Descendants of Gottlieb Diede that was self-published in 1979.
     Her oral history including a description of growing up on the family farm near Hebron is called "To the Best of my Memory" and is freely available at: www.walden-family.com/vb.html
     Gifts in memory of Velva might be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., 1501 NW 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136-1494.