Velma L. Hedges (Ficke)

Velma was born on June 21st, 1922 to Lester and Lucy Ficke. Her brother, Bernard Ficke, was born 2 years before her. They grew up on a farm in West Plains, Missouri. Velma was a favorite of her father, Lester. He would play with her every morning before work and life was good for the Ficke family. Soon, Lester became ill and the doctor performed kidney surgery but he didn’t survive the operation. Velma was only 2 years old when her father died.

Lucy was now a widow woman with two young children to raise. She met Harry Brooner and they got married. Harry was also a farmer and it was in a small, southern Missouri town that Velma grew up. There were cows to milk and the chickens laid eggs to gather. Pigs and a goat were also around on the Brooner farm. It was hard work and they were expected to perform their chores if the farm was to survive.

There were no buses to catch so Velma had to walk to school each day. This life went on, working and going to school till Velma finally graduated from Willow Springs High School. She thought about college but decided to go visit her aunt who lived in Independence, Missouri. Aunt Mamie was her father’s sister.

Velma was a farm girl and not used to the city life. She had a hard time adjusting to the faster paced life. Her aunt helped her and she soon got a job working at Wards department store where she was a typist. That job didn’t work out and she went to work at an Insurance company and settled in to life in the big city.

She started going to Stone Church and joined the Zion’s league. She was on the calling committee and it was then she met Arthur Hedges.

Arthur was the only son of Arthur sr. and Rose Hedges. Arthur was shy and Velma had to work at getting to know him. Arthur had a nice car and he drove some of the Zion’s leaguer’s around so Velma gradually got to spend time with him. They started dating and Arthur proposed and they got married at Englewood Church on September, 23rd 1950.

They lived upstairs in the Hedges house until Arthur could buy a lot and build a house on Partridge Ave. in Independence. Arthur’s cousin was a brick layer and they worked on the house until it was finished. They moved in and the house added two more members to the Hedges family, Sharon and Marshall. They attended church at Gudgell Park Congregation and went there all their lives.

Arthur was a printer by trade and worked at Poindexter’s Printing in down town Kansas City while Velma raised the kids and then went to work in the school cafeteria at Truman High School.
She worked there for a time then went to Independence Regional Hospital as a bill collector. She stayed there till she retired at the age of 72.

Velma volunteered after that at the Community of Christ Temple and also at the Auditorium.
She liked at cook and sew and decorated the house for every holiday. She canned fruits and vegetables from the family garden and was always busy doing something. She was active throughout her life and lived to the age of 99 and 8 months.

Velma leaves behind a son, Marshall Hedges, a daughter Sharon Arnold ( met her Lord in 2007 ), nephew’s Kenny Ficke and Jim Feagins, a niece Shirley Alexander, grandson’s Patrick Arnold and Kevin Arnold, great grandson’s Jacob Arnold, Matthew Arnold, Daniel Arnold and Colin Arnold, brother-in-law Jim Arnold and lots of cousins and a host of friends.

She will be missed.

A visitation to honor Velma will be held on Thursday, March 3, from 6-7:30 p.m., with a funeral service to follow at 7:30 p.m., both at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 E. 39th Street, Independence, MO 64055. The service will be livestreamed via Speaks Chapels page for those who would like to virtually attend her service. A graveside service for Velma will take place on Friday, March, at 10:00 a.m., at Mound Grove Cemetery in Independence, MO.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to be made to the American Liver Foundation, 39 Broadway, Suite 2700, NY, NY 10006.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Suburban Chapel (816) 373-3600)