Velma Mary Shearer , January 02, 1921 — March 22, 2019

Velma Mary Miller Shearer January 2, 1921 – March 22, 2019 Velma was born January 2, 1921, the next to the last of the seven children of Floyd and Mary (Ross) Miller, in Bimidji, Minnesota. Her parents had a dairy farm operation. Velma had 2 brothers – 1 was her twin – and 4 sisters.

They enjoyed horse-drawn bob-sled riding on the way to church. Velma graduated as Salutatorian from Hines High School in 1939. She graduated from the University of Minnesota and became a Registered Nurse in 1944.

She received certification as a Public Health Nurse in 1945. Velma later attended the University of Dayton earning a Master of Fine Arts, and she earned a Master of Divinity degree and then a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1987 at the age of 66 from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, in 2004. “I always had a faith that humanity had capabilities for living cooperatively and respectfully together without the need for defense”.

She was ordained in 1989 and is a member of the Manchester Church of the Brethren. While in Brethren Service in the 1940s, Velma met her future husband, Byron Cleo Shearer, in Castañer, Puerto Rico. Byron was a Conscientious Objector working as a carpenter, plumber and mechanic.

They were married on November 3, 1945, in Castañer. Velma has one daughter, Mary Jane Shearer, who lives in North Manchester, Indiana, and one granddaughter, Daisy Dawn Schmidt, who also lives in North Manchester. The family enjoyed camping along Lake Michigan.

Travel has taken Velma throughout the United States, into Mexico and Canada, and also to Spain, West Africa, and Russia. Her favorite place remains Minnesota where she met with the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Velma has enjoyed horseback riding, playing a reed organ, making drawings, and doing a cancer mortality study of Ohio, locating nuclear material sites.

Her interests continued especially in Fine Arts, but also in public health concerns and nuclear contamination from the 1960s Utah tests fallout. Her research located cancer mortality rates for different areas. On January 7, 2011, Velma moved to I 212 from her home in North Manchester.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorial contributions may be made to One Earth Peace, PO Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188, www. onearthpeace.org. Graveside services will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, March 26, at Old Ludlow Cemetery, Laura, Ohio.

A memorial service will be held at Timbercrest Chaple in New Manchester, Indiana, at a later date.

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