Velma Marie Thibodeaux

Velma Marie Thibodeaux was born June 22, 1922 in Opelousas, Louisiana. She was the oldest of 7 children, born to Calton Thibodeaux and Alice Guidry. Velma went to Little School House in the Ville (a 2 room school house in the village). As a child Velma was baptized at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana.
Velma was blessed and joined in Holy Matrimony to Lathan Ford, lovingly known as Dude. Velma moved to New Orleans in 1947 to 1953. She relocated to Chicago from 1953 to 1957, then to California from 1958 until her death.
Velma united with St. Anselm in Los Angeles. In 1960, she moved to Duarte-Monrovia area where she became a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Velma lived with her sister, Shirley, in Long Beach and Duarte, California. The two sisters were always going places. Shirley made sure they were dressed to the nine, looking like they had just stepped out of a Vogue Magazine. After leaving Shirley, Velma moved with her baby sister, Joyce, in Altadena. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Altadena.
In 2008, Velma moved to Rose Gardens Convalescent Center, where she was blessed with special angels known as her nurses. Some were so special they called Velma family.
In the early part of 2015, Rose Gardens had a new administrator named Raymond. Raymond instantly took a closeness to Velma and Jackie and was always doing whatever possible to make sure she had all that she needed.
From the time Velma went into the facility, her sister, Thelma from DeRidder, would come every year to visit her loving sister. The past few years because of health problems, she was unable to come to her side, but constantly kept in touch by phone. Jackie would place the phone by Velma's ear and let her hear her sister's voice. Many times Velma would respond in her now familiar language known by those closest to her.
Her sister, Joyce, was constantly by her side until Joyce's health started failing her in 2015. Velma referred to Joyce as "Mama."
Velma never had any biological children, but had a multitude of nieces and nephews that she loved and adored and took care of as her own.
Velma transitioned on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at 12:50 PM. Like in Velma's life, she went home as she lived. She ate breakfast and her lunch then went home to glory with her heavenly Father, tummy full, happy and full of love.
Her parents, Carlton and Alice; two brothers, Carlton Jr. and Ollie Charles; and one sister, Mary Ann, preceded her in death. She is survived by her three sisters, Thelma Jennings of DeRidder, Louisiana, Shirley Tidwell of Duarte, California, and Joyce Childs of Altadena, California; 13 nieces and 7 nephews; a host of great nieces and great nephews; great great nieces and great great nephews; and cousins and friends.