Biography

Velma Julia Jeremiah, nee Staples, was born in Eugene, Oregon, in 1921. When she was in the second grade, her family moved to Oregon City, Oregon. She studied architecture at the University of Oregon, but dropped out after a year due to lack of funds. She was able to return to the university briefly in 1941, but did not complete her degree. She spent the years during World War II working various jobs at Army camps in California, and studying cryptography in Seatlle, Washington. She met Neil Jeremiah while in Seattle, and they were married in 1943; they later had one child. The couple moved often due to Neil Jeremiah’s naval career. In addition to Seattle, they lived in Long Beach, California, and San Francisco, California. They returned to Seattle after Neil’s discharge, and in 1951, they moved to Snohomish, Washington, where Neil worked as a teacher. Around 1958, Neil’s teaching work brought them to Portland. Jeremiah and Neil were divorced in 1963. At age 42, she enrolled at the Northwestern College of Law, and she earned her degree in 1968. In 1975, she became the first graduate of that school to be hired at Davies, Biggs, Strayer, Stoel & Boley, the firm now known as Stoel Rives. She retired in 1986. Afterward, she devoted herself to Mensa, serving as treasurer, administrative director, and international chair. She died in 2017.

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