Velma Marie Arter

On Nov. 19, 2025, in the midnight hours, death came as a friend for Velma Marie Arter in her home in Lookingglass Valley outside of Roseburg, Oregon, and there was a joyful family reunion in Heaven for Velma. After a life of serving others, her work is done. Velmas worldly journey began on a Thursday, Jan. 27, 1938, born at home on a dryland ranch in the Berg community north of Malta, Montana. Thursdays child has far to go. She was the 9th of the 10 children born to Lydia Elizabeth (Nelson) Jones and Floyd Eugene Jones. Velmas veterinarian grandfather George Aaron Doc Jones had moved his family to a homestead claim south of Malta in the South Wagner community in 1913, from Wisconsin via Saskatchewan, Canada, by wagon teams. Her mothers Nelson family came to Phillips, Colorado, in 1915, by train from West Virginia to take up a homestead claim in the Berg community. As a youngster Velma attended Berg school, sometimes walking the long distance or on horseback with other kids in all the weather conditions. After some time, the family moved close to Malta, and she rode a school bus to Malta school. During the 1940s to the 1960s, Velma lived near her close-knit families: Orville Jones, Jess Jones, Ray and Sylvia (Jones) Haugness and Sylvester and Aleen (Jones) Clouse. There were frequent family gatherings for holidays and special occasions. Guitars would be played and songs sung. Her brother Roy was a great singer, and Velma would sing duets while playing the spoons. Like many women of her generation, Velma was a great cook, master crocheter, macromastia, knitter, and crafter producing dozens of holiday decorations, afghans, blankets, table covers, and plant hangers. Following her schooling, Velma began a life of full-time jobs in cafeterias, restaurants, taverns, housekeeping, Sarah Coventry and Avon sales. Her first marriage ended in tragedy November of 1960, when her husband drowned himself and their four-year old son Neal in the cold waters of the irrigation canal south of the Four Corners School, South Wagner. Velma dedicated her life to supporting her remaining son and her aging parents. She remained a widow until 1969. By that time two of her brothers had settled in Western Oregon state. Deciding on a new start, she and husband moved her son and parents to build a new life in Roseburg where she worked and lived the next 56 years. She worked for 15 years in the SEIU until age 84, as a caregiver for the elderly and disabled younger than her. Over her long life beginning as a young woman to senior years, Velma endured multiple surgeries on her back, shoulders, neck and knees, all indicators of her life of labor. Velma was the last of her parents children. She is survived by her son, Tim Abney, Santa Clara, California; three sisters-in-law; Allan Arter, whom she married in 1980; and numerous nieces and nephews to the 4th generation scattered across the western states. Also left to mourn their loss are many good, long-time friends she made during her life in Douglas County. Velma is inurned in the Roseburg Memorial Gardens plot of her beloved parents for whom she provided all her life and in their old age.