"EARTH HAS NO SORROW THAT HEAVEN CANNOT HEAL."
This is my beloved grandmother, the only grandparent I ever knew. Velma Swift was the 12th of 13 children born to Henry Clay DeVall and Emeline Ogden Devall. Velma never had a middle name, so she made up the middle name of Adeline. She called herself Velma Adeline so much that in some of the family records she is listed as Velma Adeline. On June 12, 1911, she married Malcolm "Aden" Swift, and they had six children before his death in 1924. She worked many jobs trying to keep her family together. She loved and was loved by all her children and grandchildren.
Velma and Aden Swift's six children included 4 daughters and 2 sons: Josephine "Louise" born 1912; Eunice who was stillborn (1915); Maxine, born 1916; Charles Aden, born 1918; Emma Jean, born 1920, and Robert DeVall, born 1922. All the children were very small when Aden passed away from tuberculosis. He had been a president of a bank in Galena, Missouri and a 32nd degree Mason. Velma worked very hard to keep her family together after his death. She moved to Oklahoma looking for work. I know that according to my mother, she worked in a hair salon at one point and later at a school for deaf children as a cafeteria cook. When she died, we found many little handkerchiefs that these children had emboidered and given to her as little gifts. She kept them all. She was also an excellent quilter, leaving 4 partially finished quilts when she died. Since she had four granddaughters, my mother finished them for each of us.
Velma eventually sent the youngest 4 children to the Masonic home in St. Louis, keeping only Louise with her. All her children loved her and knew how that decision was the only thing she could do. My mother, Maxine, always said that because of that decision they all graduated from high school and went on to have good lives. She also said that the four of them never really had to experience the Depression.
In the late 30s to 1940?? EmmaJean took off and never returned. It broke my grandma's heart. To the day she died, she left her name listed in the Oklahoma City phone book, hoping that one day EmmaJean would call. Even my two uncles kept their full names listed, hoping she'd call one of them. She never did. Nobody in the family ever understood what happened. She just left a note and disappeared. If anyone ever reads this and knows what became of EmmaJean Swift, please let us know. We believe she lived in the Fort Worth area and died (according to some online records) in 1980. Good news!!! EmmaJean has been located, and I have added a memorial for her on FAG. She is now linked with her family here and hopefully happily reunited in heaven.
In an effort to remain close to grandma, my mother only agreed to marry my father, a career Air Force man, if he promised that no matter where they were sent, they would always return to Oklahoma City where grandma lived. Unfortunately, during our last overseas assignment to Morocco, my grandmother passed away of heart failure just two weeks before we were scheduled to return to America. I have always grieved over the fact that I had so little time with her. I was only 7 when we left the states, and she was gone by the time we came back. The memories I do have are all good. I remember she had large pecan trees and peach trees in her backyard. On weekends when we stayed over, she would make breakfast of fresh peaches and cream and cinnamon toast (my brother called them "beep and tote"). She always left empty Coke bottles on her screened in porch, so Gary and I could "steal" them and go to the corner mom-and-pop store to get the deposit money for penny candy.Her house was huge to a small child, with big comfy beds and an old claw-foot tub. She had an old yellow tabby cat and always curled my sister's hair.I remember a very special doll for Christmas (she probably spent too much on it). She was the only grandparent I ever knew, and I wish I'd had more time with her, but I look forward to getting a big hug (and some "beep and tote") when I see her in heaven.
Velma never remarried. Her husband lies in a grave in Galena, Missouri which I was astonished to find in a recent search, so I listed the link here.
This is my beloved grandmother, the only grandparent I ever knew. Velma Swift was the 12th of 13 children born to Henry Clay DeVall and Emeline Ogden Devall. Velma never had a middle name, so she made up the middle name of Adeline. She called herself Velma Adeline so much that in some of the family records she is listed as Velma Adeline. On June 12, 1911, she married Malcolm "Aden" Swift, and they had six children before his death in 1924. She worked many jobs trying to keep her family together. She loved and was loved by all her children and grandchildren.
Velma and Aden Swift's six children included 4 daughters and 2 sons: Josephine "Louise" born 1912; Eunice who was stillborn (1915); Maxine, born 1916; Charles Aden, born 1918; Emma Jean, born 1920, and Robert DeVall, born 1922. All the children were very small when Aden passed away from tuberculosis. He had been a president of a bank in Galena, Missouri and a 32nd degree Mason. Velma worked very hard to keep her family together after his death. She moved to Oklahoma looking for work. I know that according to my mother, she worked in a hair salon at one point and later at a school for deaf children as a cafeteria cook. When she died, we found many little handkerchiefs that these children had emboidered and given to her as little gifts. She kept them all. She was also an excellent quilter, leaving 4 partially finished quilts when she died. Since she had four granddaughters, my mother finished them for each of us.
Velma eventually sent the youngest 4 children to the Masonic home in St. Louis, keeping only Louise with her. All her children loved her and knew how that decision was the only thing she could do. My mother, Maxine, always said that because of that decision they all graduated from high school and went on to have good lives. She also said that the four of them never really had to experience the Depression.
In the late 30s to 1940?? EmmaJean took off and never returned. It broke my grandma's heart. To the day she died, she left her name listed in the Oklahoma City phone book, hoping that one day EmmaJean would call. Even my two uncles kept their full names listed, hoping she'd call one of them. She never did. Nobody in the family ever understood what happened. She just left a note and disappeared. If anyone ever reads this and knows what became of EmmaJean Swift, please let us know. We believe she lived in the Fort Worth area and died (according to some online records) in 1980. Good news!!! EmmaJean has been located, and I have added a memorial for her on FAG. She is now linked with her family here and hopefully happily reunited in heaven.
In an effort to remain close to grandma, my mother only agreed to marry my father, a career Air Force man, if he promised that no matter where they were sent, they would always return to Oklahoma City where grandma lived. Unfortunately, during our last overseas assignment to Morocco, my grandmother passed away of heart failure just two weeks before we were scheduled to return to America. I have always grieved over the fact that I had so little time with her. I was only 7 when we left the states, and she was gone by the time we came back. The memories I do have are all good. I remember she had large pecan trees and peach trees in her backyard. On weekends when we stayed over, she would make breakfast of fresh peaches and cream and cinnamon toast (my brother called them "beep and tote"). She always left empty Coke bottles on her screened in porch, so Gary and I could "steal" them and go to the corner mom-and-pop store to get the deposit money for penny candy.Her house was huge to a small child, with big comfy beds and an old claw-foot tub. She had an old yellow tabby cat and always curled my sister's hair.I remember a very special doll for Christmas (she probably spent too much on it). She was the only grandparent I ever knew, and I wish I'd had more time with her, but I look forward to getting a big hug (and some "beep and tote") when I see her in heaven.
Velma never remarried. Her husband lies in a grave in Galena, Missouri which I was astonished to find in a recent search, so I listed the link here.
"EARTH HAS NO SORROW THAT HEAVEN CANNOT HEAL."
This is my beloved grandmother, the only grandparent I ever knew. Velma Swift was the 12th of 13 children born to Henry Clay DeVall and Emeline Ogden Devall. Velma never had a middle name, so she made up the middle name of Adeline. She called herself Velma Adeline so much that in some of the family records she is listed as Velma Adeline. On June 12, 1911, she married Malcolm "Aden" Swift, and they had six children before his death in 1924. She worked many jobs trying to keep her family together. She loved and was loved by all her children and grandchildren.
Velma and Aden Swift's six children included 4 daughters and 2 sons: Josephine "Louise" born 1912; Eunice who was stillborn (1915); Maxine, born 1916; Charles Aden, born 1918; Emma Jean, born 1920, and Robert DeVall, born 1922. All the children were very small when Aden passed away from tuberculosis. He had been a president of a bank in Galena, Missouri and a 32nd degree Mason. Velma worked very hard to keep her family together after his death. She moved to Oklahoma looking for work. I know that according to my mother, she worked in a hair salon at one point and later at a school for deaf children as a cafeteria cook. When she died, we found many little handkerchiefs that these children had emboidered and given to her as little gifts. She kept them all. She was also an excellent quilter, leaving 4 partially finished quilts when she died. Since she had four granddaughters, my mother finished them for each of us.
Velma eventually sent the youngest 4 children to the Masonic home in St. Louis, keeping only Louise with her. All her children loved her and knew how that decision was the only thing she could do. My mother, Maxine, always said that because of that decision they all graduated from high school and went on to have good lives. She also said that the four of them never really had to experience the Depression.
In the late 30s to 1940?? EmmaJean took off and never returned. It broke my grandma's heart. To the day she died, she left her name listed in the Oklahoma City phone book, hoping that one day EmmaJean would call. Even my two uncles kept their full names listed, hoping she'd call one of them. She never did. Nobody in the family ever understood what happened. She just left a note and disappeared. If anyone ever reads this and knows what became of EmmaJean Swift, please let us know. We believe she lived in the Fort Worth area and died (according to some online records) in 1980. Good news!!! EmmaJean has been located, and I have added a memorial for her on FAG. She is now linked with her family here and hopefully happily reunited in heaven.
In an effort to remain close to grandma, my mother only agreed to marry my father, a career Air Force man, if he promised that no matter where they were sent, they would always return to Oklahoma City where grandma lived. Unfortunately, during our last overseas assignment to Morocco, my grandmother passed away of heart failure just two weeks before we were scheduled to return to America. I have always grieved over the fact that I had so little time with her. I was only 7 when we left the states, and she was gone by the time we came back. The memories I do have are all good. I remember she had large pecan trees and peach trees in her backyard. On weekends when we stayed over, she would make breakfast of fresh peaches and cream and cinnamon toast (my brother called them "beep and tote"). She always left empty Coke bottles on her screened in porch, so Gary and I could "steal" them and go to the corner mom-and-pop store to get the deposit money for penny candy.Her house was huge to a small child, with big comfy beds and an old claw-foot tub. She had an old yellow tabby cat and always curled my sister's hair.I remember a very special doll for Christmas (she probably spent too much on it). She was the only grandparent I ever knew, and I wish I'd had more time with her, but I look forward to getting a big hug (and some "beep and tote") when I see her in heaven.
Velma never remarried. Her husband lies in a grave in Galena, Missouri which I was astonished to find in a recent search, so I listed the link here.
This is my beloved grandmother, the only grandparent I ever knew. Velma Swift was the 12th of 13 children born to Henry Clay DeVall and Emeline Ogden Devall. Velma never had a middle name, so she made up the middle name of Adeline. She called herself Velma Adeline so much that in some of the family records she is listed as Velma Adeline. On June 12, 1911, she married Malcolm "Aden" Swift, and they had six children before his death in 1924. She worked many jobs trying to keep her family together. She loved and was loved by all her children and grandchildren.
Velma and Aden Swift's six children included 4 daughters and 2 sons: Josephine "Louise" born 1912; Eunice who was stillborn (1915); Maxine, born 1916; Charles Aden, born 1918; Emma Jean, born 1920, and Robert DeVall, born 1922. All the children were very small when Aden passed away from tuberculosis. He had been a president of a bank in Galena, Missouri and a 32nd degree Mason. Velma worked very hard to keep her family together after his death. She moved to Oklahoma looking for work. I know that according to my mother, she worked in a hair salon at one point and later at a school for deaf children as a cafeteria cook. When she died, we found many little handkerchiefs that these children had emboidered and given to her as little gifts. She kept them all. She was also an excellent quilter, leaving 4 partially finished quilts when she died. Since she had four granddaughters, my mother finished them for each of us.
Velma eventually sent the youngest 4 children to the Masonic home in St. Louis, keeping only Louise with her. All her children loved her and knew how that decision was the only thing she could do. My mother, Maxine, always said that because of that decision they all graduated from high school and went on to have good lives. She also said that the four of them never really had to experience the Depression.
In the late 30s to 1940?? EmmaJean took off and never returned. It broke my grandma's heart. To the day she died, she left her name listed in the Oklahoma City phone book, hoping that one day EmmaJean would call. Even my two uncles kept their full names listed, hoping she'd call one of them. She never did. Nobody in the family ever understood what happened. She just left a note and disappeared. If anyone ever reads this and knows what became of EmmaJean Swift, please let us know. We believe she lived in the Fort Worth area and died (according to some online records) in 1980. Good news!!! EmmaJean has been located, and I have added a memorial for her on FAG. She is now linked with her family here and hopefully happily reunited in heaven.
In an effort to remain close to grandma, my mother only agreed to marry my father, a career Air Force man, if he promised that no matter where they were sent, they would always return to Oklahoma City where grandma lived. Unfortunately, during our last overseas assignment to Morocco, my grandmother passed away of heart failure just two weeks before we were scheduled to return to America. I have always grieved over the fact that I had so little time with her. I was only 7 when we left the states, and she was gone by the time we came back. The memories I do have are all good. I remember she had large pecan trees and peach trees in her backyard. On weekends when we stayed over, she would make breakfast of fresh peaches and cream and cinnamon toast (my brother called them "beep and tote"). She always left empty Coke bottles on her screened in porch, so Gary and I could "steal" them and go to the corner mom-and-pop store to get the deposit money for penny candy.Her house was huge to a small child, with big comfy beds and an old claw-foot tub. She had an old yellow tabby cat and always curled my sister's hair.I remember a very special doll for Christmas (she probably spent too much on it). She was the only grandparent I ever knew, and I wish I'd had more time with her, but I look forward to getting a big hug (and some "beep and tote") when I see her in heaven.
Velma never remarried. Her husband lies in a grave in Galena, Missouri which I was astonished to find in a recent search, so I listed the link here.
Family Members
Siblings
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Linnie Alberta DeVall Gillaspy
1867–1930
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Lester Dewitt Devall
1869–1880
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Bessie DeVall Cheek
1872–1947
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Robert Chester "Chettie" DeVall
1875–1880
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Maude Devall
1877–1880
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Henry Clay Devall
1879–1959
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Infant Devall
1880–1880
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Alice May DeVall Maddux
1881–1963
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Ernest Eugene DeVall
1885–1974
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Edna N Blansit
1887–1961
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Lois Estell DeVall McNutt
1895–1926
