Velma L. (Stokes) Klassen, born July 7, 1942, in Pueblo, CO to Harold R. Stokes and Leona May (Curlis) Stokes and passed away October 14, 2025. She had two brothers, Raymond L. Stokes and Vernon L. Stokes.
Velma lived north of Fowler, CO until 1950, then moved to Kansas, south of
Coolidge. The family then moved into Syracuse in 1954. She lived the rest of her life in
Hamilton County and graduated from Syracuse High School.
In 1960, Velma married H.C. (Herb) Klassen. They started and finished their
marriage S.E. of Syracuse in the far corner of Hamilton County. To this marriage was born
two children, Kitty K. (Klassen) Banning, and Mike T. Klassen.
She loved her family, doing all the things they did together, watching her family
grow through all parts of their lives and coming to know and accept the Lord as their Savior. It was a learning process, and they always did it together. Velma enjoyed watching her children as they went to school, was involved in 4-H, church camp, youth group, and in meeting their soon to be spouses. Weddings, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren brought her great joy. She always wanted everyone to know that the main thing was that Christ became the Lord of their lives. She came to learn and love this truth after her salvation in the early 1960’s.
Velma is preceded in death by her husband H.C. (Herb) Klassen, Herb’s parents,
Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Klassen, Velma’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Leona Stokes, their son, Mike T. Klassen, twin grandsons, two great-grandsons, Keagen Ty Phillips and Amos Ezekiel Schweizer, and two great-granddaughters, Ezra Rose Earle, and Mesa Sage Klassen.
Velma is survived by their daughter Kitty K. (Jimmy) Banning, grandsons Jerrad
(Alyssa) Banning- (Aspen, Haven, and Sierra), Kraig (Tressa) Klassen (Jackston),
granddaughters Katarina (David) Phillips- (Kaitlin, Moses, and Callie), Jessica (Austin)
Earle- (Exum, Ellison, and Eilis), and Kandra (Luke) Schweizer- (Avah, Laura, Isaiah, and Jake).
Visitation will be Friday, October 17, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. CST at Country View Baptist Church in Ulysses, KS. Funeral service will begin at 1:30 p.m. CST with Pastor James Berry officiating. Interment will follow at Stanton County Cemetery in Johnson, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Country View Baptist Church Missions in care of Garnand Funeral Home, PO Box 715, Johnson, KS 67855. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.
