Velvie Sue Hand

Velvie Sue Hand, age 70, passed away in her sleep at her home in Niceville, Florida on December 7th, 2025.  

Velvie was born at Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico on February 10th, 1955, to parents Sam and Georgia Crumby. Her family settled in Tampa, Florida where Velvie grew up. Tragically, when she was 6 years old, her father was severely injured in a motorcycle accident and remained hospitalized for the rest of his life. Without him, daily life became much harder for Velvie and her five siblings, and her formative years were very difficult. Her home lacked the love, safety, and security all children deserve. Brave and unafraid, Velvie left home at the age of 16 to make a better life for herself.  

After high school, she pursued her associate’s degree in Special Education at Hillsborough Community College. To put herself through school, she worked as a lifeguard at the swimming pool on MacDill AFB where she met an Air Force Lieutenant training to fly the mighty F-4. His lap swimming, and her red bikini, eventually blossomed into their romance.  

Velvie married that zipper-suited sun god on February 26th, 1977, at the MacDill Air Force Base Chapel in Tampa, Florida. Together, Chuck and Velvie traveled the world before retiring to Niceville, Florida in 2017. They raised two sons, Jerad and Justin, and were blessed with two wonderful daughters-in-law and five amazing grandchildren. Velvie was an exceptionally devoted wife, mother, and grandmother and took immense pride in creating a loving and safe environment for her family. Breaking the chain of generational trauma was Velvie’s proudest accomplishment.  

Velvie worked as a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor throughout her life serving as a lifeguard, lifeguard instructor, swim instructor, aquatics director, and high school swim coach. She was also a dedicated military spouse that supported her husband through multiple deployments across his 22-year Air Force career. As a mother, Velvie was passionate about her children's education and activities; she coached multiple youth sports teams, volunteered at public schools, and served in parent-teacher organizations. In retirement, Velvie enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, watching news and sporting events or playing trivia with Chuck, cultivating a shamelessly progressive world view, and reading banned books.  

Velvie is survived by her husband, Charles (Chuck) Bruce Hand, her two sons Jerad Michael Hand and Justin Mathew Hand, and her five grandchildren.  

Velvie’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 18th, 2025, at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 1:00pm, a memorial service at 2:00pm, and interment at 3:00pm. There will be a nearby celebration of life immediately following the interment. Reverend James Harry of Goldsboro, North Carolina will officiate the ceremony.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Velvie’s honor to the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center whose mission is to heal and prevent the trauma of childhood abuse and neglect by providing advocacy, child-friendly therapies, and a safe environment for kids to feel seen, heard, and understood.  

Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Center: https://eccac.org/champion/donate/  

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