Velma Olive Fourt, 94, the second daughter of six children of Ransom Wyatt and Goldie Todd Fourt, was born Aug. 24, 1913, at the Fourt Century Farm west of Houston. The farm was homesteaded by her great-grandfather. She died May 23, 2008, at Houston House Nursing Center, where she had lived for the last four years.
She attended the Houston Schools, walking the five miles a day. She participated in various activities and graduated from Houston High School in 1931. She took teachers’ training to prepare herself in the educational field.
She taught one term in a rural school at Green Hill in Texas County, second grade at Houston from 1933 to 1941; two years in the Springfield School system and in 1943, went to St. Louis County, teaching at Fairview and Jennings districts.
Her summers were spent going to school at Springfield Teachers College, now MSU. She graduated in August 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in education.
Wanting to learn more and better ways to teach students, she attended, and in 1953, graduated with an AM degree from George Peabody College, now a part of Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn. She did graduate work at Columbia University in New York.
After teaching 44 years, she retired in 1976. She was active in educational organizations in the St. Louis area.
After retiring, she returned to Houston to care for her mother and brother at the family home.
She enjoyed traveling and took several tours with friends throughout the country, Canada and Alaska.
Miss Fourt was a member of the First Baptist Church in Houston, having been saved and joining the church as a teenager. She was active in the church, serving on committees, as leader in Sunday School and Women’s Missionary Union and its auxiliaries.
While living in St. Louis, she served as a deaconess at Third Baptist Church.
She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star for more than 70 years, Texas County Retired Teachers, the Missouri State Teachers Association and Texas County Hospital Auxiliary for several years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Bill Fourt April 1977; and one sister, Alice Crawford, March 22, 2007.
Surviving are three sisters, Mamie Swan of Berkeley, Calif., and Mildred Melton and Juanita Hart of Houston.
Services were May 27 at the First Baptist Church in Houston with Dr. Howell Burkhead officiating. Mary Jane Lybyer read the obituary. Burial was in the Pine Lawn Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Houston, Texas County Library for children’s books or American Heart Association.
