Obituary of Viola Munkvold

Viola Munkvold, age 91 of Menno, SD, passed away peacefully Thursday morning, August 20, 2015 at the Oakview Terrace Nursing Home in Freeman, SD. Funeral services will be 10:00 AM, Monday, August 24, 2015 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, (North Highway 81) Rural Irene, SD with Rev. Travis Grassmid officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery, Yankton, SD following the service. Visitations will be from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2015 at the Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, SD. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Viola Munkvold was born on March 27, 1924, to Emil and Katherine (Goebel) Schaeffer on a farm southeast of Menno, SD. She was the oldest of six children. Viola was baptized on June 15, 1924, and confirmed on June 26, 1938, by Rev. John Bodenman at Saron Reformed Church, Menno, SD. Viola attended Jamesville #21 School. While growing up, she often helped her dad with field work and chores. While attending the Little Oscar Show with her cousins, Viola met the love of her life, Henry Jerome Munkvold. They were united in marriage on October 24, 1943 at which time they were employed at various farms. To this union seven children were born: Harry, Delila, Virgil, Ida Mae, Donald, Donna, and John. In addition to helping Jerome on the family farm and being a homemaker, Viola later worked as a cook at the Menno Livestock Auction and the Open Door Café, as a home health care provider for the elderly, and a consultant for Watkins products. Being a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother were truly the joys of Viola's life. Gardening, canning, and preparing meals for family and friends were activities Viola took pride in, and the coffee pot and cookies were always ready when someone stopped to visit. Unselfishly, she embroidered, sewed, and blessed many with her homemade gifts and baked goods. Viola was also known for her unique phrases (sardines anyway - hot digity dog - yep, yep, yep), being actively involved in her church, and living out her faith daily. After a heart attack in December of 2014, Viola was unable to stay at home. She moved to the Menno-Olivet Care Center and then to Oakview Terrace in Freeman, SD, where she remained an encouragement to the people who cared for her until the Lord called her to her heavenly home on August 20, 2015. Grateful for having shared Viola's life are her children: Harry (Marlene), Virgil (Pat), John (Anna) Munkvold, Delila (Allen), Donna (Charles) Mehlhaf, Ida Mae (Ernie) Plate; 28 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Alvina (Bob) Auch and Darlene Kost; brother, Calvin (Alice) Schaeffer and numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. Viola was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jerome; son, Donald, daughter-in-law, Rita; son-in-law, Gene; grandchildren, Wade and Christina; siblings, Wilfred and Lenora.