Velma Jean French, 87, died July 16, 2018, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Nov. 25, 1930, in New Madrid, daughter of the late Earl L.W. and Jennie Nadine Morgan Cokenour, she and her husband operated Bill's Auto Parts for many years. She had been serving as deputy collector in the New Madrid County Collector's Office until her retirement. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in New Madrid and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 595 in New Madrid. Survivors include: two sisters and a brother-in-law, Earline and Jim Lawrence of Campbell and Donna Cokenour of New Madrid; two nieces, Melanie (Sam) Duncan of New Madrid and Diedre Delaney of Lilbourn; and one nephew, Kevin (Nikki) Lawrence of Gideon. Visitation is from 11 a.m. until service time at 1 p.m. Friday at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid with the Revs. Travis Lambert and Kevin Lawrence officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery at New Madrid.