98, of Vila Grove, Illinois
VISITATION: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 from 10:0 a.m. until noon at the Pulliam Funeral Home in Oblong, Illinois.
FUNERAL SERVICE: 12 noon on Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at the Pulliam Funeral Home in Oblong, Illinois. Burial will be at the Mound Cemetery, rural Jasper County, Illinois
EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY: May take the form of a contribution to the First Christian Church in Villa Grove, Illinois with envelopes at or may be mailed to Pulliam Funeral Home, P. O Box 121, Oblong, IL 62449.
Velma Lorne Ping, 98, of Villa Grove, Illinois passed away at 5:15 a.m. on Friday, February 21, 2014 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, Illinois.
Born on December 1, 1915, in Willow Hill, IL., she was the daughter of William A. Hamilton and Jessie B. (Cooper) Hamilton, and the youngest of six children. She married Paul Robert Ping on May 9, 1942 and he passed away on September 25, 1981.
She attended Willow Hill, Illinois schools; a graduate of Oblong Township High School, class of 1938; attended Eastern Illinois University and became a teacher in 1940 and taught at a country school near Willow Hill for two years. Velma and Paul adopted Ellen Marie Ping of Chicago, Illinois in December 1957, when she was nine years old.
While Paul was in the Army, Velma taught for three years in Mattoon, IL. in junior high and the fifth grade. In 1950, she and Paul moved to Villa Grove where she became a fourth grade teacher. While teaching, she continued her college education, taking night classes in the area, correspondence courses from the University of Illinois and the University of Missouri, completing her B.A. degree from Eastern Illinois University in May, 1974. After teaching 32 years ad retiring in June 1977,Velma was a remedial reading aide part time and also had been a substitute teacher in Douglas and Champaign county schools.
She was a former member of the First Baptist Church of Villa Grove; a new member of the First Christian Church of Villa Grove; a member of National Retired Teachers Association; Illinois Retired Teachers Association and also an honorary member of Douglas County Retired Teachers Association.
Velma is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Ellen and Steve Merrick, Robinson, IL; three granddaughters: Jesse Lorene “Lorie” and Duwayne Boyce, Elizabeth “Beth” Anne and Ricky Howard and Michelle Renee Miller; six great-grandchildren: Jessica Marie Williams, Dallas Eugene Daniel; Eric Garcia, Christopher Garcia, Joseph Howard and Bryson Boyce; and sister-in-law Helen Shew, Willow Hill, IL.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husband; three sisters Fern Musgrave, Iva Mae Hamilton and Eloise Aladene Harris and two brothers Charles Wilson Hamilton and Ray Foster Hamilton.
Condolences and or memories to the family at: www.oblongfuneralhome.com
