Services for Mrs. Veronica Stanford-Miles will be Saturday April 10, 2021 at 11AM First Baptist Mohawk Church at 3333 E. 30th St. North in Tulsa.

On Tuesday, the 12th day of June, 1956, a little baby girl, and the first of five to follow, was born

to Dorothy Ann "Dot" Stanford-Dedmon and Floyd Gilliam, Sr. She was named Veronica Ursell Stanford, affectionately known as "Vikki" to her family and close friends.

Birthed at home by midwife, Vikki was born at 1913 Pickens in Reeves Addition. Reeves Addition,

being a strong knit community, is where Vikki's formative years were spent growing up around a

ton of first cousins and neighborhood friends. These relationships and family ties would prove to

be life long.

As the oldest of six maternal children, she was raised on Douglas Street in Muskogee, OK with her

mother, and stepfather, Rudolph Dedmon, Sr. Her siblings are Donald Stanford, Keith Dedmon,

Rudolph "Nyrue" Dedmon, Jr., Lisa Dedmon, and Tenita Dedmon-Betts. As brothers and sisters,

closeness was instilled in them at a very young age, and as they matured, they operated in the same

manner as adults.

Vikki also has a host of paternal brothers and sisters: Darryl Gilliam (Compton, CA), Floyd "Biff"

Gilliam, Jr. (Broken Arrow, OK), Claude (Butch) Roach (OKC, OK), Ronald Headspeth (Tulsa,

OK), Diane Beard (Walnut Creek, CA), and Phyllis Gilliam and Dwight Gilliam (Oakland,

California)

In her youth, Vikki attended Langston Elementary in Reeves Addition until the era of integration

in the early 70's. Her 7th grade year, she attended Sadler Middle School, and when definitive

school boundaries were established, she would attend Alice Robertson Middle School in her 8th

and 9th grade years. Upon completing middle school, she attended Muskogee High School, where

she proudly graduated with the class of 1974.

Right after high school, she would go on to marry her first husband, Albert M. Pettis, and to this

union, her first child was born, DaChaunda Pettis- Pete. Because Albert was in the military, Vikki

traveled as an army wife and experienced life outside of Oklahoma for a while. However, this

marriage was later dissolved.

After her first marriage, Vikki found herself settling back in Muskogee. But in the early 80's, she

would move her and her children to Tulsa, OK.

While living in Tulsa, she met John L. Miles. After 22 years of dating, they finally decided to make

it official. On September 3, 2005, they were married. Their relationship as a couple has spanned

nearly 38 years.

As life will at times, it threw Vikki some curveballs, one of them being the death of her youngest

daughter, Jonica Darnell Washington. Upon Jonica's death, Vikki was blessed with three of the

greatest joys of her life. Her granddaughters, Katara, Kamri, and Khaya. Without hesitation,

Vikki and John L. would raise these young ladies from newborn to adults. "Vikki's Girls," as they

were often called, are replicas of their Granny in fashion, in dance, and in personality. They truly

were her daily inspiration.

Vikki was very family-oriented. Gathering and getting together with her family is what she lived

to do. She loved music and she loved to dance. It wasn't uncommon for her to hit the dance floor

all by herself.

Vikki was an excellent cook. She made a peach cobbler out of this world. She took pride in her

cooking and she and Chaunda would be up all night for our annual Thanksgiving get-togethers.

Anything she put her hand to in the kitchen, you would be requesting her to make it for you again.

When she had a card game at her house, there was sure to be plenty of food for all around the table.

In her spare time, Vikki also loved playing pool. Many considered her a pool shark. She took

pride in hosting the Annual CJB Mother's Day Pool Tournament for several years. She loved to

travel and enjoyed living her best life. Vikki also had a very kind heart. She would give her last

to anyone in need.

Never short on friends, she always had an entourage in tow. Her philosophy was: "the more

the merrier." One in particular has been a friend since the seventh grade. They've shared many

secrets, have been one another's rock, and shared many of their life's journey together. And as

grown women, they even got baptized together. Deborah Sheppard-Webb, her best friend and

partner in crime, supported Vikki throughout her last days.

As a young girl, Vikki confessed Christ at an early age, where she became a member of

Macedonia Baptist Church in Muskogee, OK, under the leadership of Reverend Tommy

McFrazier. She would later unite with Mount Olive Baptist Church and then First Baptist

Mohawk in Tulsa, with presiding Pastor Emanual Collier. Vikki was an active member and

served proudly as an usher until the pandemic and her health began to fail.

A hard worker, and at times, and in her formative years, the sole provider for her family, she

worked at Purolator for 10 years before going to work at PSO as an accounting clerk from which

she would retire in 2019 after 19 years of service.

Vikki was very astute as a student and academically she excelled. She always desired to obtain

her degree. Anything dealing with numbers, she could make it work. She received her Associate's

degree in accounting from Tulsa Community College and was just 8 hours shy from obtaining a

Bachelor's degree in accounting from Langston University.

Vikki loved her children dearly. Her sons, Brian and JoRon, she spoiled rotten. She loved them

unconditionally. And with DaChaunda, Vikki wore a badge of honor and proudness for all of

her daughter's many career accomplishments.

Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew that their grandmother was one-of-a-kind.

They also knew that if they ever needed anything or needed her in any way, she would be there

for them.

On April 1, 2021, early Thursday morning, God saw her in anguish, and said, "Enough is

enough, I choose you to come home be with me," and it was finished.

She was preceded in death by: her Mother, Dorothy Ann Stanford-Dedmon; Father, Floyd

Gilliam, Sr.; Stepfather, Rudolph Dedmon, Sr.; Daughter, Jonica Darnell Washington;

Grandsons, Keenan LaVare Pettis and Jo'Lon Darelle Washington; Brother, Keith L. Dedmon;

Sister, Tenita Dedmon-Betts (Charles Betts of Corsicana, TX); Stepchildren, John L. Miles, Jr.,

and Anika Miles; and Paternal Sisters, Venus Beard and Denise Gilliam.

She leaves to cherish her memory: her Husband, John L. Miles, Sr.; Sons, Bryan Pettis

(Rakkena) and JoRon Washington (Kenyetta); Daughter, DaChaunda Pete (Sidney), all of

Tulsa, OK; two Stepchildren, Alicia Markham and Johnny Miles of Tulsa, OK; her three

special Granddaughters, Katara Kniep, Kamri Washington, and Khaya Blalock, all of the

home; Grandsons, Mauri, Javonte, Treonte, Da'sean, and Joryon (her precious Bubba-Dub);

Granddaughters, JoRiona, Nivea, JoRni, Jonica II, India, and Marissa; nine great-grandchildren;

and a host of loved ones, including several nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.