Velma Louise (Bishop) Conway

TUSCOLA: Velma Louise Conway, 86, went to be with the Lord Wednesday, March 09, 2016. A funeral service will be held in the Buffalo Gap Church of Christ at 4:00 PM Saturday, March 12, 2016 with burial in the the Buffalo Gap Cemetery, officiated by Kerry Jones and Paige Baize, directed by Fry~Smith Funeral Home, Tuscola. A visitation will be held on Friday, March 11, at 5 to 7pm at the funeral home.

Velma was born January 26, 1930 near Winters, to Charles Roy and Della Mae (Bishop) Davis.

She married Billie Wayne Conway on November 11, 1947. They had two children, Darrell and Barbara.

Velma and Billie began their life together farming cotton in Hatchel, TX until the drought of 1956 forced them to pursue other income sources. Velma worked as a waitress in several local coffee shops, she was the bookkeeper and scheduler for her and her husband's trucking company, and later a bookkeeper for Gibson Discount store. Velma always considered her self a homemaker and a Mother first and foremost.

She had a passion for people and her hobbies included sewing, crocheting, gardening, reading, what she referred to as"antiquing". Velma loved to laugh; she had never met a stranger, and she loved her family. She was truly a people person.

Velma and Billie both shared a love for hunting. At age 72, she checked off the number one item on her bucket list when she was able to bag a bear.

She is survived by her husband of sixty eight years, Billie Wayne; her daughter, Barbara Kotrlik of Merkel; her son Darrell Conway and wife Janice of Abilene; sister Joyce Lanter of Bonham; brother, Robert Davis and wife Mary of Winters; five grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

Velma was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Velma’s memory to Hendrick Hospice Care, 1900 Pine Street, Abilene TX 79601.