Condolence: It is with great gratitude that I am able to add my condolence. I was privileged to journey for a short time with Velma We met through her dear daughter Bernadine. Bernadine journeyed for a while wth my mom while she was in the hospital many years ago. It was then that Bern and I realized we shared the same birthdate,FEBRUARY 20th and on this day her mom went home to God!!!! No one enters our life per chance. We are blessing to one another. I'm so grateful to have met this wonderful, joy-filled woman.
She now intercedes for us in heaven!!

Condolence: To: Bern & sisters,
Just a few lines to let you know that I am sending you my warmest condolences to you and your family. This is one of the most profound times that we hate to ponder about but it is what it is and may the Lord have mercy upon us all in our time of bereavement.

Condolence: So last Monday was a great day and a sad day.
It was the day I was released from the hospital after a 10 day stay for an emergency appendectomy, and it was the day I came home to start a long 8 week recovery. When I walked into my home I saw a brown envelope on the dining table and quickly noticed the backside of the envelope with return address: Velma Love. I knew exactly what was in that envelope and preceded to my room to lay down to address the news. I decided I had too much on my plate that evening, along with being in too much post surgical pain to open the envelope and waited two more days to do so.
After two day I quickly took out the announcement and just layed it down and couldn't read any further until now, a week later. Since the picture I glanced at on the cover of the program did not remind me of Ms. Love, I told myself I could not give this another thought at this time, Crying and sadness was not an option for me at that moment. I was comforted knowing that I knew exactly where the soul of my dear friend was. Ms. Love had attended my mothers service at McCalls many years ago to my surprise and I was happy to know they would meet again. I had only known her for a very short time and when I walked into McCalls , towards my Mothers remains and saw Ms. Love siting in the pew, I knew right then just how she felt about me.
The short time I worked with Ms. Love was a very interesting time. I had just become an E.M.T and she was what I aspired to be but didn't know it yet. I quickly became a willful learning student and absorbed many skills from her, too numerous to mention. I was immediately impressed on how well she administered care and compassion to a group of people I had never dealt with in my then young life. She understood the disease of alcoholism and drug use and the desperation of homelessness. Little did I know then that I would be moving to South Carolina years later and go to nursing school and excel in the field of which I had a calling for and a compassion in my heart that was first nurtured by your Mother, my dear friend Ms. Love.
We developed a friendship that was very unusual. The only person I knew from the south was my Grandmother and she and Ms.Love were very similar in many, many ways. I vowed to continue this friendship with Ms. Love and to her surprise I kept in touch frequently, even though we would never see each other again. This great friendship lasted over 40 years. She seemed to always be fascinated with the life I was living and the get up and go I have for world travel and always experiencing different aspects in the nursing field. I especially made her proud when I had the title Director of Nursing for one of the most prestigious Nursing Homes in the country.At the same time she knew that I wouldn't stay on any job too long, I always had a thirst for a new adventure.

One of the stories I have told though the many years of my life about this Lady was, the 2nd week we had worked together at The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center in the South Bronx, she was going out on her break to put in her numbers and she asked if I played. I knew what she was talking about as my Grandmother had played the numbers when I was a child. I told her I didn't know how, and she said, choose 3 numbers Barry and give me a dollar and lets see what happens, and I'll be back in 15 minutes. I'll never forget that day. It was the number from my EMT Badge I wore so proudly, 817. I won, and the rest is the history of a friendship I will carry in my heart forever.
I will right now after finishing writing this piece, read the program from Ms. Love's Life Celebration Services, as now I can celebrate her gift to me after telling my story.


P.S. After reading the program , my heart is filled with joy and no sadness, but I must tell you I knew nothing of her life or career. I was shocked for a moment (The Blue Notes???) but not surprised. We hardly ever spoke of her life or experiences. She always wanted to talk about my life and how she lived vicariously through me. Now that I look back, she never treated me as my Supervisor. She was a Guidance Counselor for my life and when she mentioned God in our conversations she was teaching me what I now know...

May God Bless you all that have grieved losing a great human, The Late, Great Velma Love...

Condolence: Our prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to our family for the loss of our cousin. May God provide comfort and peace during this time. May you always hold fond memories of your time together.

We love you,
Ram and Mary Harris

Condolence: Our condolence to the family. We are with you in your time.

Condolence: I love you Mommy! See you soon.

Condolence: On behalf of McCall's Bronxwood Funeral Home, we would like to extend our sincere condolences to the Family of Velma Love.