Obit: Garbisch, Viola #3 (1920 - 2013)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: Garbisch, Wittke, Bardeleben, Olson, Smith, Hamilton

----Source: The Loyal TRG (Loyal, Clark County, WI.) 16 Jan 2013

Garbisch, Viola (21 May 1920-11 Jan. 2013)

Viola Gardisch, 92, Neillsville, passed away on Friday Jan. 11, 2013, at her home in the Neillsville Retirement Community. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Zion Lutheran Church, Granton. Rev. Daniel Schoessow officiated. Interment was in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery.

Viola Wittke was born on May 21, 1920, in the town of Weston, rural Neillsville, the daughter of Ferdinand and Erna (nee Bardeleben) Wittke. She married Alfred L. Garbisch on Dec. 18, 1940, at her parents home. They farmed in the town of York, near Granton, for almost 30 years. When her husband passed away, Viola continued to farm with her son, Roger. In 1979, she moved to Hill Street in Neillsville. For the passed 3 ½ years, she has enjoyed the Neillsville Retirement Community. Viola attended Pine Valley Mound Elementary School. She was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Neillsville with the class of 1935. As a mother, she was involved in her children’s education; she was Romadka School PTA president, and a band mother; as all of her children played in the Granton High School band. Later, she continued her education by taking business classes at Granton High School. Viola earned her High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) and her Certified Nursing Assistant Degree from Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire. While living in Neillsville, she worked at the Arbutus Café fir five years and after earning her nursing assistant certificate, she worked five years at the Memorial Nursing Home as a C.N.A. Viola loved flowers and gardening. She always had her perennials and flowers in bloom, vegetables in her garden, and the most delicious raspberries. She enjoyed traveling with friends and relatives, and she took several trips to Hawaii, the Holy Land, Europe, Mexico and many states in the USA. As a member of several homemaker groups, she enjoyed many friendships. She was a member and officer of Zion Lutheran Ladies Aid in Granton for more than 65 years. She especially enjoyed visiting her neighbors over the years, as well as bringing cheer to friends who were in the hospital or nursing homes. She will be greatly missed by all who enjoyed her good natured spirit.

Survivors include her children, Milton (Nancy) Garbisch, Granton, Virginia (David) Olson, Chippewa Falls, Eileen (Richard) Smith, Appleton, Roger (Lois) Garbisch, Granton, and Janice (Roger) Hamiliton, cottage Grove; 14 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Viola was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred; her parents; a brother, Lester Wittke; and a great-great-grandchild.

Memorials may be given to Zion Lutheran Church in Granton or to the Lutheran Hour.

Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com

The Gesche Funeral Home, Neillsville, assisted the family with arrangements.