Velda Lee Turner

Velda Lee Turner, age 63, lifelong Washita County resident, was born March 20, 1963, to Matthew and Jon Glenda (Holman) Raleigh, and passed away Monday, August 31, 2026, at her home.

A graveside service for Velda will be held at 10:00 AM Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the Lone Star Cemetery in Rocky, with her son, Manuel Raleigh, officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of the Lee Hometown Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Lee Hometown Funeral Home.

Velda was raised in Cordell and graduated from Cordell High School in 1981. She continued her education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she studied art. Her artistic ability and creativity were gifts she carried with her throughout her life.

She married the love of her life, Mark Turner, on November 3, 2001, in Cordell. Velda was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Cordell.

Velda was a hardworking and determined woman from a young age. At 16, she filled in at Puckett's Grocery Store, where even as temporary help she was expected to memorize the weekly sale bill so she could quickly help customers at the counter. At 17, she worked at the Rocky Co-op during harvest, and at 18, she worked at the Dairy Queen in Cordell.

By the age of 19, Velda and Mark were already working side by side during harvest, plowing wheat stubble. The two would good-naturedly argue over who got to drive the tractor with the cab. Somewhere along the way, they also spent time chopping cotton together, creating memories that would become part of the story of their lives.

In her early 20s, Velda worked at the Collins and Aikman factory in Clinton, helping manufacture automotive carpeting. Her hardworking nature was matched by an entrepreneurial and creative spirit. In 1989, Velda and her mother opened a mini mall and boutique in Cordell, which they operated for a time. In the early 1990s, she helped her aunt Twilla at the Grapevine Galeria and its potato bar.

In 1996, Velda began renovating an old building in downtown Cordell with a vision of turning it into a restaurant and gift shop. After years of hard work, Shop on the Corner opened around 1999. It became another expression of Velda's creativity, determination, and love for her hometown. Over the years, she also owned and operated several small boutique stores.

Although Velda worked hard throughout her life and took on many different ventures, the role she treasured most was caring for Mark and her family. She was a loving homemaker, wife, mother, and grandmother, and her family was at the center of her life.

Velda loved art and especially enjoyed drawing and creating. She also loved horseback riding, taking long scenic drives, and simply spending time caring for the people she loved. She had a creative spirit, an independent streak, and a willingness to work hard for whatever she set her mind to.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Matthew and Jon Glenda Raleigh; her daughter-in-law, Michelle Raleigh; and her granddaughter, Adaleigh Turner.

Velda is survived by her husband, Mark Turner, of their Cordell home; her sons, Walter Manuel Raleigh and his wife, Amanda, of Elk City, Zeke Turner and his wife, Ambria, of Sentinel, and Matthew Turner and his wife, Hope, of Cordell; her brother, John Raleigh and his wife, Sheila, of Cordell; and her grandchildren, Zoe Raleigh and Avery Turner.

She also leaves behind many other relatives, friends, and loved ones who will remember her creativity, her hardworking spirit, and, most of all, the love and devotion she had for her family.