Velma A. Ramus

Velma A. Ramus, 101, of Fort Dodge, died Saturday, February 19, 2022, at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home.   Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 400 S. 13th Street, with Pastor Jonathan Jahnke officiating.  Services will be live streamed via the St. Paul Lutheran Church Facebook page.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  Interment will take place in North Lawn Cemetery.  Memorials may be directed to the family.

Velma Anna was born March 2, 1920, in LuVerne, IA, the daughter of Max Frederick and Mathilda Louise (Tiede) Meyer.  She was the youngest of 8 children growing up in a German Lutheran family and only spoke German until going to school where she would learn English.  She graduated from LuVerne Lutheran High School in 1938.   She was united in marriage to Orval H. Ramus on June 29, 1939, in LuVerne.   The couple moved to Fort Dodge in 1949.  Over the years, Velma worked in a drug store in the soda fountain shop, drove tractor for farmers, and a nurse's aide in the nursery department of the Lutheran Hospital taking care of newborn babies during the night shift. One of her favorite jobs was rocking the newborns and spoiling them a little bit before they had to go home.  When the hospital decided to stop using nurses aides, she became a Messenger in the hospital, taking and moving the medical carts from floor to floor among other things.  She also took a cake decorating class at Iowa Central and made birthday and wedding cakes for others for several years.  Velma retired in 1985.  Velma enjoyed sewing clothes for her family and friends and making doll clothes for children at Christmas time for the Dress-A-Doll contest at the bank.  She also enjoyed playing games (especially solitaire), puzzles, singing to herself, and planting a garden, whether it was vegetable or flowers, it gave her much pleasure.  She was a longtime member (70 + years) of St. Paul Lutheran Church, where she also taught Sunday School and belonged to church circle.  She was also a member of St. Paul quilters circle.

Velma is survived by her daughter:  Carol Page and husband Steve of Fort Dodge; son:  David Ramus and wife Sharon of Post Falls, ID;  7 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; and 2 great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 74 years in 2012:  Orval Ramus; 7 siblings; daughter:  Lavonne Lewis and husband Kenneth; and a grandson:  John Page.

Ausgespielt - means played out in German.  She often said this after her card games were over, and now after her heavenly journey - Ausgespielt.