Velma D. Martin Coughlan, 94, retired registered nurse of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away after a short illness on June 30, 2019, at Germantown Methodist Hospital.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Talmage Coughlan; her parents, Ell Martin and Josie Martin; and her brother, Roy Martin.  She is survived by her son, Gary Coughlan; sister-in-law, Billie Martin; and brother-in-law, Larry Coughlan; and many nieces and nephews.  Velma was born on August 25, 1924 in Munford, Tennessee, and grew up during the Great Depression, picking cotton, milking cows, feeding hogs and chickens, and churning butter.  She was Valedictorian of her high school class, and during World War II worked at the Dupont 'Powder Plant" in Millington, Tennessee, where she met her future husband, Leonard Talmage Coughlan.  In 1949, in Memphis, she graduated from the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing as a registered nurse, and married one month later.  Most of her nursing career was at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis.  During the 1950's and 1960's, she took many home films of her extended family at family reunions, birthdays, funerals, and Easter Egg hunts, which have become family treasures.  After her retirement, she began to go on cruises all over the world:  Hawaii, Israel, Egypt, Italy, England, France, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Alaska.  She went from picking cotton to picking cruises.  Especially appreciated is her niece, Carol Howell, who would visit her twice a week, bringing her breakfast and family news; her major caretaker, Catina Johnson, who constantly brought in different foods to stimulate Velma's appetite; her niece, Gail Giaramita, who visited her every other Sunday; the "SOS" Serving Our Seniors, who sat with her; the wonderful nurses at Germantown-Methodist Hospital; and Sara Brumley, her retired nurse friend, for visiting often and bringing home made candies, cakes and special nut treats.  Mrs. Coughlan's visitation will be on Friday, July 5, 2019, from 1:00-2:00 p.m., with her funeral service following at 2:00 p.m., at Forest Hill Funeral Home, East 901-382-1000