Velma Lois Peters Cleland was born January 6, 1944 in Wagoner, OK to Glen and Otalie Peters and arrived at her eternal home on March 4, 2022 in Tulsa, OK.  Velma grew up in Wagoner and married William H. "Bill" Cleland on August 16, 1961 in Wagoner, OK.  Velma graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, in 1962.  Velma and Bill were blessed with 2 children, William H. Cleland II "Dub" and Cindi Cleland-Rappsilber.

Velma worked alongside her husband, Bill in their many business ventures helping him with day-to-day operations and bookkeeping responsibilities in the OTASCO store and Cleland Oil Company in Wagoner, OK and later Gary's Gun and Pawn in Broken Arrow, OK.

Velma had a great love for and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends.  She was a wonderful wife to Bill for over 50 years and supportive, loving Mom to Dub and Cindi.  She was loved and adored by her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  You could say that Velma never ever met a stranger.  She spent a majority of her time with her family and friends and when that wasn't possible she talked with loved ones and friends on the phone.  She had a knack for remembering birthdays and she never failed to reach out and wish her family and friends a Happy Birthday, often singing to them on the phone or leaving a singing voice mail. The family has often joked that when she passed we would send a phone with her so she could call us from Heaven.

Velma was a woman of Faith and a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Wagoner.

She is survived by her son William H Cleland "Dub" and wife Robin of Verdigris, OK her daughter Cynthia Cleland-Rappsilber of Broken Arrow, OK, grandchildren Matthew & Rochelle Cleland of Plano, TX, Nicholas Cleland & Fiancé Eva of Tulsa, OK, Thomas "T.J." & Leah Rappsilber of Tulsa, OK, Catelyn Rappsilber of Dallas, TX.   She was also extremely fond of her 4 great grandchildren, Jocelyn and Jett Cleland and Bryce and Brennan Vecchio.  She had wonderful relationships with her sisters, Barbara Renfrow and Kathryn Witten, brothers Dennis Peters and wife Gale and Kenneth Peters and wife Nancy, and brother-in law Eugene Myers and wife Diane and sisters-in-law Erma Peters, Kitty Ferguson and Carol Cleland.

Preceded in death by her husband William Henry Cleland "Bill", her father and mother, Glen and Otalie Peters, sister, Carolyn Jane Myers, her brother, Billie Glen Peters and her Brother-in-laws, Ray Ferguson, W.B Cleland "Jr" and Kenneth Cleland.

Viewing will be held from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. with the family gathering to greet friends for a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8 at Mallett Funeral Home.

The funeral service to celebrate Velma's life will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Wagoner, Oklahoma. The Reverend Mark Pointer will officiate.

Interment will be in Pioneer Cemetery in Wagoner, where Velma will be laid to rest beside her husband, Bill. Serving as pallbearers will be Rod Ferguson, Bobby Peters, Dewey Peters, Jason Peters, Mark Myers, Steve Myers, Jeremy Renfrow and Greg Witten. Honorary pallbearers will be Gary K. Cooper, Chris Edwards, J.W. Edwards, Ron Rosson, Joe Turley and Jimmy Wheeler.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the "Porta Caeli House" in memory of Velma Cleland at 2440 N Harvard Ave, Tulsa, OK 74115.