Viola Reuwsaat

Funeral service for Viola Reuwsaat were held Monday, June 30, 2008, 2:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla, Iowa. Reverend Paul Frank officiated. Music was provided by the congregation with Mary Ellen Hafner as accompanist. Casketbearers were Lyle David, Lance Lage, John Deist, Brian Lage, Roland Huebner, and Richard Starck. Interment was in the Nishnabotna Cemetery near Manilla, Iowa. A visitation was held afternoon on Monday, June 30, 2008, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla.

Viola Alma Christina, daughter of John C. and Emma (Wenzel) Schade, was born September 10, 1910, near Botna in Jefferson Township, Shelby County, Iowa. The family lived on farms in Audubon County where she attended rural school.

On October 10, 1931, Viola was united in marriage with Henry Carl Reuwsaat. They made their home on the farm in Crawford County and three children were born to this union. Her husband died in 1940 and Viola never remarried. Viola worked in restaurants in the area and then moved to Chicago to keep house for her sister Leona Starck. After Leona's death, she kept house for a long period of time for Hattie Hessling in Carroll, Iowa, after which, she kept house for Aron Ackerson of Kiron, Iowa, until his death. After Aron's death, she moved to California and lived with her son Darrell (Daryl) and family and worked as a volunteer in a second hand clothing store. Viola was a member of the Lutheran Church. While living in the nursing home she enjoyed playing dominoes and listening to music.

Following the death of her brother-in-law Fred Rudnick, she moved back to Iowa and lived with her sister Laura Rudnick in Audubon. When she could no longer care for her sister Laura, Viola moved to an apartment in Manning. In 1988 when she began having health problems, she became a resident of Friendship Home in Audubon to be with her two sisters, brother and brother-in-law where they really enjoyed each other and singing together as they all loved music. In March of 2000, her son moved her to Eventide Nursing Home in Denison. On June 25, 2008, she died there at the age of 97 years, 9 months and 15 days.

Viola is preceded in death by her parents; husband; two sons Darrell (Daryl) Reuwsaat and wife Ellie and Adrian Reuwsaat; grandson Troy Reuwsaat; and two grandchildren Toni and Todd Reuwsaat, in infancy; four sisters: Laura Rudnick; Beata David; Leona Starck and Wilma Ullerich; and three brothers: John Schade, in infancy, Raymond Schade and Merle Schade.

She is survived by her son Norman Reuwsaat of Evans, Colorado; five grandchildren: Leslie Burnett; Laura McCrary; Donna Lopez; Mario Ray Reuwsaat; Tina Serno; ten great-grandchildren; six step-grandchildren and many step-great grandchildren; sister-in-law: Donna Schade of Gainesville, Georgia; several nieces and nephews who helped her out over the years: Ardith and husband Walt Lage of Manning; Carlene and husband John Deist of Audubon and Lyle David and wife Colleen of Glidden; and other relatives and friends.

Arrangements by Ohde Funeral Home.