Veda Storey

Veda Josephine (Jo) Jenkins Storey

Jo Storey, 86, was born February 13, 1932 in Hagerman, NM and went to heaven to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on March 20, 2018. She was the tenth child of William Houston Jenkins and Alla Anna (Hoover) Jenkins of Hagerman, NM, both of whom preceded her in death. She was the last of their children born and the last of their children to pass away. All her siblings, Paul William Jenkins, Vern Houston Jenkins, Lois (Jenkins) Arnold, Emma Ruth (Jenkins) Rhodes, Naomi (Jenkins) Pierce, Willard Wayne Jenkins, Lindon C. Jenkins, Maxine Inez Jenkins, and Bernice Jenkins preceded her in death.

Jo is survived by her only child, Rachel Lynette (Storey) Wells (Arvis) of Missoula, MT. Rachel and Arvis have three children. Jo's grandchildren are Jennifer K. Wells of Missoula, MT, Dianne C. Morgan (Chad) of Missoula, MT, and Matthew A. Wells (Michelle) of Spokane, WA. She also left behind four great-grandchildren, all of Missoula, MT, Faith J. Wells (14), Teague O. McFarley (10), Addison P. McFarley (7) and Cayden O. Morgan (1).

She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews: James Jenkins of Baton Rouge, LA; Paula (Jenkins) Hill of Farmington, NM; Anna (Jenkins) Foster of Hobbs, NM; Jerry Atkinson of Hartford, AR; Daniel Atkinson of Roswell, NM; Margaret (Atkinson) Marsh of Novato, CA; Frank Rhodes of Roswell, NM; Jane (Rhodes) Andrus of Roswell, NM; Allie Anne (Jenkins) Bryant of Deming, NM; Louis Jenkins of Deming, NM; Mary (Jenkins) Hewitt of Vero Beach, FL; Raymond Jenkins of Hereford, TX; and Darrell Jenkins of Marana, AZ. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Joyce Jenkins (Lindon) of Hereford, TX.

Jo attended Hagerman Public Schools, graduating high school in 1950 and matriculating to Pasadena College, where she earned a BA in Education, subsequently attaining a California teaching certificate.

She married Leroy C. Storey in 1952 and they served in the pastorate in the Fillmore, CA Church of the Nazarene. Later they briefly served in the pastorate of the Ridgecrest, CA Church of the Nazarene, where Jo began her career as a kindergarten teacher on the China Lake Naval Base.

Jo returned permanently to her beloved Pecos Valley in 1977, following the dissolution of her 24-year marriage.

She enjoyed painting, eventually doing over three hundred pieces in oil, pastels, watercolor and acrylics, most of which she gave to friends. She wrote poetry, songs, and true stories about great answers to prayers that she witnessed the Lord performing in her life and the lives of those around her.

Until failing health prevented it, Jo loved to work in her vegetable garden and around her fruit trees and grape vines. She always had produce to share with her friends and neighbors.

For 17 years Jo attended the First Church of the Nazarene in Roswell and faithfully sang in the church choir. She also helped create costumes for Easter and Christmas programs and many national flags to decorate the church for the District Missionary Convention.

Later she became a charter member of Grace Community Church, where she found her personal ministry in cheerfully passing out salvation tracts in both English and Spanish. She sent large boxes of tracts to foreign mission fields and to military servicemen and women serving abroad. If you knew Jo for long, you learned that she was never shy about witnessing to others and urging them to do whatever they needed to make sure they made it into heaven. Through her personal evangelism, she led many to Christ.

She fervently believed in Isaiah 55:11 that "God's word shall not return to Him void, but will accomplish that whereunto it is sent."

She has gone on ahead of us, but we know where she is.

Services are to be held Saturday May 12, 2018 at 10:00 am at Ballard Funeral Home

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory. An online registry can be ac-cessed at www.ballardfuneralhome.com

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