Velva Ineta McNeil

Velva Ineta Flud McNeil, 92, passed away on April 10, 2026 in Idalou, Texas. A memorial visitation will be from 9:30a.m - 10:30a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd., Abilene, Texas. Graveside services will be held at 11:00a.m. following the memorial on Saturday, April 18, 2026 in the Buffalo Gap Cemetery.

Velva Ineta Flud McNeil was born in Spur, Texas to Oza Lee Cornelius and James Clyde Flud on December 30, 1933. She graduated from Lamesa High School and then studied to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse on a work study program offered by the Lamesa Hospital. Velva married Wallace Gene McNeil on October 25, 1952 in Lamesa, Texas She worked as a Licensed Vocational Nurse at several hospitals and nursing homes throughout her career and later became the office nurse for a prominent doctor in Dallas, Texas. Velva also obtained her realtor license and worked for a while selling real estate. She retired from nursing in 1995 and moved to Buffalo Gap, Texas. 

Velva was an active member of many churches during her life and most recently a member of Hope 4 Life Foursquare Church in Abilene, Texas. Velva was an accomplished artist. Her art work spanned from childhood through her adult life. She worked in oils, acrylics, pastels and water paints. She also worked in ceramics and wood. Her latest art form was China-painting requiring the firing of the China in-between paint layers. She perfected the “rose” in her art work. 

Velva McNeil was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace McNeil; her parents; her brothers, LB Flud and James (Bud) Flud; and two grandsons, Josh Daniels and Talmadge Hinson. Velva McNeil is survived by her daughters; Jan Hinson and husband, J.D., Quenna Daniels and husband, Brett, and Laneta Cool and husband, Lee. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. 

A Life Well Lived

Velva was born during the Depression and grew up during WWII

A young teenager when her brothers and many of her cousins were overseas during WWII. She spent many hours at the altar at the end of a services praying for her brother’s safety. This time as a young teen had a profound impact on her walk with Christ. As many of her friends were beginning to stray from the faith, mom was serving at church, often teaching a Sunday School class as a young teenage girl.

Choices about who she would marry.

Mom often told us the story of a discussion she had with a high school girlfriend. As they were observing a handsome young man in their school that they both admired, mom commented to her friend, “One day I’m going to marry a man like that.” To which her friend replied, “You don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell getting someone like that.” Mom replied back, “Well, I won’t get it if I don’t aim for it. I intend to aim high.” Then mom would tell us, “And I got exactly what I aimed for in your dad.”

Later, when mom and dad were at one of dad’s work-related parties, the wife of one of dad’s associates commented to mom, “You are lucky that your husband doesn’t drink alcohol.” Mom told her, “Luck had nothing to do with it. I wouldn’t have married him if he drank.”

One Favorite Scripture: Third John, verse 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth.”

She would be very grieved when her children or grand-children were distant from the Lord. The only time I ever saw my mother anxious was when one of her children were straying from the Lord. She prayed many of us into the Kingdom of God.

Wisdom from her mother that she passed down to us.

Ex: Mom told us of her mother and how our grandmother (Ma) cared for others and unselfishly shared the little she had. Mom told us of times how some family members would take advantage of her mother. Mom would ask her mother, “Why do you let them take advantage of you and treat you that way,” to which Ma would reply, “Honey, they don’t know Jesus and they need to see Jesus in me.”

Sayings: Your children won’t remember if the beds were made or the dishes done, but they will remember the time you spent with them.

Saying: “People and their feelings are more important than things.” She never got mad if something was broken at her house. I asked her one day how she coped with so many people living with her throughout the years and could take it when her things got messed up. To which she would reply, “People and their feelings are more important than things.”

Saying: “God is still on the throne and prayer changes things.” She said this usually when we were discussing end-time events or how bad things are getting in the world or some trouble we were having. She would confidently reply, “Well, we must remember that God is still on the throne and prayer changes things.”

Peace reigned in our home – always – Mom was a peacemaker. She couldn’t stand it if we were mad at each other or arguing. If one of the grandchildren were upset or in a stressful situation, she would sing this chorus to them, “Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace, coming down from the Father above.” Who here remembers her singing you that song?

Gift of Hospitality – truly – She was a good conversationalist – easy to talk to and friends found her a good confident whom they could trust. Once, Mary Wallace, a lifelong friend, told her own children during a difficult time, “If I could just talk to Velva, I’ll be alright.”

A great artist – She worked in many different art mediums over the years from acrylics, oils, watercolors, ceramics, wood, sewing, decorating, refinishing furniture. For a time, her and dad ran craft store called VW Crafts. Dad would do the wood cut-outs and mom would paint them.

Loves roses- She definitely mastered the rose in her painting. I am quite amazed at her art work.

A great decorator. Many friends would have her help them decorate their homes. Once a friend, Peggy Hicks, when building her new house told the builder that she needed to speak with decorator before deciding on paint colors, referring to mom.

A good friend. Mom helped just about every friend with their children’s weddings even to the point of helping make all the bride’s dress and bridesmaids dresses.

LIFE SAYING FROM OTHERS:

“Life is made up of a few moments all strung together like pearls. Each moment is a pearl, and it is up to us to pick the ones with the highest luster. If we do not have time to do great things, take a few gentle moments and do small things in a great way.” Author Joyce Hilfer

Let not your heart be troubled, Jesus says. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also.

"I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going."

May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door.

"Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."

May each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is punched, we don't have to worry about where we are going.

It has often been said that Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. The most important determination of all of our lives is – Are you ready for the place Jesus has prepared for you? The preparation for Heaven is not the accomplishing of works and achievements in order to verify your worth to God or man. Heaven isn’t a place for good persons. Heaven is a place for redeemed sinners. It’s a place for people who come, not on the merits of their own achievement but on the grounds of having received the love of God which is a gift given us in the person of His son, Jesus Christ. The celebrating of a promised home-coming. Father, we want to thank you for the great truths of Your Word, Your ways, your will, the spirit of rejoicing, of hope, the prospect of your life. Crowding out the things that would crowd in on us. And we thank you that with all the promise that is available to us in this life, beyond it all, there is the hope of eternity in your presence, Lord Jesus, in the place you have prepared for us. In Jesus name. Jack Hayford