Velma Ramsey Thelen, 87, of Hendersonville passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at Spring Arbor Assisted Living after a period of declining health. A native and lifelong resident of Henderson County, she was the daughter of the late Roy and Mae Belle Dalton Huggins. Velma was the wife of the late James Ramsey, who died in 1982, and Kenneth G. Thelen, Sr., who died in 2014. She retired from Asheville High School where she was an art instructor for over twenty years. Velma was very active in bridge clubs and the Hendersonville Country Club. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Survivors include three step-children, Kenneth Thelen, Jr. and his wife Nancy of Northville, MI, Brian Thelen and his wife Janis of Sterling Heights, MI, Andrea Neumeyer and her husband Aaron of Hendersonville; seven step grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; and a special nephew, Jim Albritton and his wife Grace of Hendersonville.
A funeral will be at 12:00 noon Saturday in the Forest Lawn Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Wally Shamburger will officiate. Burial will be private at Shepherd Memorial Park.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. James Caserio and the staff of Spring Arbor Memory Cottage.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731 or Blue Ridge Humane Society, 88 Centipede Lane, Hendersonville, NC 28792.
My late husband, Jan Pressley Huggins (son of Junius –Roy’s brother–and Ethen Huggins, and Kay’s brother) enjoyed visiting his cousin Velma very much . Whenever we were in NC or she and Ken traveled near us in Tx, we got together and they laughed and shared memories.
Velma was my late husband’s cousin. I enjoyed being with Velma and her parents, Roy and Mae Belle, through the years. Her passing is another step in the end of an era.
Barbara Huggins (Mrs. Kay)