Velma Root

Velma Root

Velma Mae (Fertig) Root, 90, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026. Born in Hillsboro, Kansas, she grew up on a farm near Radium in a large, loving family. Velma was the daughter of Roy and Ella (Jost) Fertig and the 6th of their eight children, with cherished bonds to all her siblings.

From a young age, Velma embraced helping her mother with household tasks, developing a lifelong sense of purpose in caring for others. She attended Radium schools and was a proud 1953 graduate of Radium High School. Her faith was important to her, and she grew up attending Radium United Methodist Church.

Velma earned her nursing diploma from the Grace Hospital School of Nursing in Hutchinson in 1956 and worked as a civilian nurse in several locations where her sister Mary Lou was stationed with the U.S. Air Force.

While living in Mobile, Alabama, Velma met Edwin Root of Portland, Oregon. They married in 1959 in Radium and welcomed three children, Mary, Robert, and John, while moving frequently for Ed's engineering career. The family lived for ten years in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where Velma worked part time in obstetrics and built lifelong friendships.

In 1972, the family moved to Albuquerque, where Velma joined Lovelace Medical Center and later became Head Nurse of the Oncology Ward, work she found deeply meaningful. Velma and Ed divorced in 1985 but remained friends.

After retiring, Velma enjoyed church, choir, friends, and especially time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She lived independently until recent years, receiving devoted care from her daughter Mary and son-in-law Larry.

Velma was preceded in death by her parents and older half siblings. She is survived by Ed Root; brothers Stan and Ray Fertig; children Mary (Larry) Perez of Albuquerque, Rob (Lynn) Root and John (Joey) Root of Seattle; eleven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

A local service will take place Sunday 2/1/26 at 2:30pm at Covenant United Methodist Church, 8510 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113 with a service and burial at Point View Cemetery near Larned, Kansas, in late March 2026.

https://www.noblin.com/obituary/Velma-Root