Velma Kay Penrod, 86, passed away peacefully in Queen Creek, Arizona, on June 12, 2026. Born in 1939 in Miami, Arizona, she was the third of five children of James Ivan and Ida Ruby Jones. Raised alongside her sisters Iva Faye and Evan and her brothers Ivan and Mervyn, Velma’s early life included the kind of childhood mischief and adventures common to large families of the era. The family roots in Arizona and a lifetime of community ties framed much of her personal story and her lasting relationships across the region.
Portrait published with the obituary, showing a smiling woman in a patterned sweater.
As a young woman she met and fell in love with Chester Eugene “Sonny” Penrod. The couple were married on August 30, 1954, and their union endured for sixty-seven years. Chester preceded her in death; Velma and her husband are now reunited, six years after his passing. Their long marriage and partnership formed the center of a family life that included raising four children and remaining deeply connected to one another and to community activities for decades.
Velma and Sonny raised four children: Robert (Shirley), Robbie (Cindy), Vonda (Robert) and Shannon (Terry). The family grew quickly beyond that immediate circle; Velma leaves behind twenty-six grandchildren and more than fifty great-grandchildren. The family’s obituary notes a deep and abiding affection for her roles as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, writing: “We will love, miss, and forever cherish our dear mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. We love you MORE!” That sentiment has been echoed by friends and relatives who visited the online memorial and signed the guest book following her death.
Her professional life included work at Mesa Lutheran Hospital early on and later positions with Marriott. In those later years she took responsibility for managing food service operations for the Kyrene and Queen Creek school districts. Those roles placed her at the center of day-to-day school life for many families and exemplified a pattern of steady work and service. Outside of the workplace, Velma maintained a lifelong affection for animals — particularly horses and dogs — and that love informed much of her spare-time activity and social circle.
Velma was also an active participant in the roping community, where she counted many friends and acquaintances. Her involvement in that social world reflected an enthusiasm for western lifestyle activities that complemented her affection for horses. In addition to her community and recreational interests, she was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; the obituary highlights her devotion to her faith, a strong love for her Savior, and appreciation for the ancestors who shared those teachings with her. Messages left on her memorial page include personal remembrances such as one from Patricia Kirk: "Oh how much we all loved our dear Velma Kay! She taught us all so much and is still teaching us today! Thank you Shannon and the entire Penrod family for sharing her with all of us! Life is eternal!"
Funeral services are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on June 20 at City of Mesa Cemetery, 1212 North Center Street, Mesa, Arizona. Arrangements are being handled by Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation — Garden Chapel. The funeral home’s garden chapel served as the arranging location for the family, and relatives have directed those seeking the most current information about services and memorial details to the funeral home’s website. For those wishing to visit or make arrangements in person, the funeral home’s address in Mesa is available through the arrangements notice.
Exterior of Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation — Garden Chapel, the funeral home named in the obituary.
Family and friends who wish to honor Velma’s memory have been offered several ways to do so. Floral arrangements and other remembrances may be sent to services, and the family has provided links for those who wish to plant trees in her memory or to donate in her name. The memorial page and guest book remain open for messages, photographs and shared memories. The obituary was published on June 17, 2026, and the family asked that if the notice appears in other places, interested parties check the funeral home’s website for the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding services and arrangements.
Velma Kay Penrod’s life encompassed decades of family devotion, steady work in community institutions, active participation in recreational and faith communities, and a legacy that continues through a large extended family. Her obituary and the messages posted by those who knew her provide a record of that life and offer practical details for those planning to attend services or to leave a remembrance. Arrangements are being managed by Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation — Garden Chapel; further details, including the online guest book and options for tributes, are available through the funeral home and the family’s memorial page.