07/28/2005
Velta Edith (Teter) Jarman quietly slipped into heaven just five days short of her 93rd birthday, on July 28, 2005. She was born Aug. 2, 1912, on the family ranch near Gibbon, Neb.
She could recall as a young girl watching the Indians ride in and water their ponies at her dad’s watering trough then ride off towards the South Dakota border. When she was 5 years old, her dad traded the ranch for a big farm in Marion County, Iowa. That is where she grew up and went to the one-room Blain School. She attended and graduated from high school in Knoxville, Iowa.
As a teenager, Velta worked on a ranch cooking for the farm hands. When chores were done, horseback riding was the entertainment and even a few rides on the back of a friend’s motorcycle. After high school she worked in a music store and deli. She met Kenneth Jarman, fell in love and they married on March 20, 1931.
Kenneth wanted to move to Oregon, where his brother lived and the land was rich with tall trees, mountains and green grass. Velta, with three small children, left friends and family to follow along on this adventure. What an adventure it was crossing the Rocky Mountains and making it to the Willamette Valley. They lived in Tualatin for a while, had several more children and then moved to Tigard in 1948. Velta and Ken had a total of 10 children. What great times growing up in what use to be the country, but is now the suburbs.
After moving to Tigard, Velta became very active in her church. She found time to serve the Lord, even with a passel of kids at home. She taught Sunday school, was president of the women’s missionary group, was an officer on the board of trustees and leader of the women’s Bible study. She led Bible study classes until she was 83 years old.
Her passions in life were studying the Bible, caring for her children, gardening, sewing, crocheting and reading. She also enjoyed traveling. She went as far north as Alaska, south as Mexico, east to Washington, D.C., and as far west as Hawaii. The stories she could tell were entertaining and informative. We all loved family get-togethers.
Velta was not immune to tragedies. Her first son was stillborn. Her father was shot and killed by a horse thief a month after she moved to Oregon. Her husband of 47 years died of a stroke. Her mother died at age 91 of pneumonia. One grandson died at age 19 years, one great-grandson died at age 15 days and one great-grandson died at age 18.
Nine children survive Velta. They are Virginia Bennett, Carolyn Pulsinelli-Barber, Ken Jarman, Don Jarman, Linda Ivey, Pam Dwyre, Gordon Jarman, Michelle Socolov and Lorie Svesko. She has 29 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren with two on the way , and seven great-great grand- children.
We will be celebrating the good life she had and the happiness she brought into this world at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 in Riverview Chapel and Cemetery.