Wilhite, Viola 1897-1980

WILHITE, SHARRICK, MONTGOMERY, PIERCE, GRIFFIN, ROBERTS, THOMPSON, STEMSRUD, MCNAUL, HANCOCK, STORY

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 11/18/2011 at 13:14:45

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Aug. 14, 1980

SERVICE FOR MRS. WILHITE

Mrs. Viola Wilhite, 83, of the Mayflower Home died Monday morning at Grinnell General Hospital.

Funeral services for Mrs. Viola Wilhite were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Grinnell United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Philip J. Ramstad, minister of the Grinnell United Church of Christ-Congregational, officiating.

Music was provided by Mrs. Kahtleen Heffner, organist, and John Taylor, vocalist.

Pallbearers were Bud Baird, David Griffin, John Griffin, Norman Hall, Lynn Merck and Curt Stemsrud. Honorary bearers were John McNaul, Harold McNaul, Earl Pierce, Bob Story, Michael Thompson and Steve Thompson.

Burial was in Hazelwood Cemetery with the Smith Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Born Jan. 3, 1897, in Charity, Mo., she was the daughter of Marion and Louise Sharrick Montgomery. She attended Charity schools and later married Earl E. Pierce. The couple homesteaded a farm near Minot, N.D., and later moved to Iowa.

After her husband's death in 1926, she married Isaac Griffin. The couple farmed north of Montezuma. Mr. Griffin preceded her in death in 1956, after which she moved to Montezuma to make her home.

She was a member of the Montezuma Methodist Church, the Pythian Sisters and the Friendly Neighbors Club. she came to Grinnell to live at the Mayflower Home in 1972, and while in Grinnell was a member of the United Methodist Church.

She married Roy Wilhite, who is currently living in Denver, Colo., near his son.

She is survived by her husband, Roy; her children, Harold L. Pierce of Montezuma, Mrs. Helen Roberts of Phil Campbell, Ala.; Mrs. Virginia Thompson of Ft. Collins, Colo., Clyde Griffin of Kalona, and Mrs. Dorothy Stemsrud of Grinnell; her step-children, Mrs. Tonnie McNaul of Grinnell, Vern Griffin of Grinnell, and Jack Wilhite of Denver, Colo; and two sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Hancock of Wichita, Kan., and Evelyn Montgomery of Lebanon, Mo.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Earl Pierce and Isaac Griffin; a daughter, Stella Louise Griffin; two step-daughters, Lodema Story and Mattie McNaul; as well as nine brothers and sisters.