Viola E. Carlson, 86, long time Spokane resident, passed away Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 in Tacoma, Washington where she had been visiting family. Funeral Services will be held Monday, January 3rd at 10:30 am at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 2733 W. Northwest Blvd, Spokane. A graveside service will be at the Selbu Cemetery near LaCrosse, WA. at 2:00 pm. Viola was born February 26, 1924 to Arthur and Frieda Bahr at the family farmhouse in McCloud County, Minnesota. While working as a waitress in the Twin-Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Viola met Herbert Arthur Carlson who was a fifth-year student at the nearby University of Minnesota. They married August 18, 1945 at the Carlson farm near LaCrosse, Washington. Vi and Herbert lived briefly in Seattle and in Minneapolis before moving to Spokane, Washington where they lived for the next 50 years. Vi kept busy as a homemaker and mother for most of her life but following Herb's retirement she spent many years as the banquet manager at the Holiday Inn along Sunset Blvd. She was a member of Pilgrim Lutheran Church. She loved gardening, baking her world famous "Vi's Pies", and shopping at Nordstrom. Viola was an amazing person with a very loving heart and an addicting personality. She loved to laugh and loved life and made everyone around her feel happy. She is survived by her children and their spouses; Sue and Dave Krull of Woodinville, WA, Frieda and Larry Devita, Mick and Becky Carlson and Ric and Leslie Carlson all of Spokane and Christine Carlson and Alexander DeHaan of Federal Way, WA; 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and her three sisters, Ilo Riebe of Winthrop, MN, Sally Peterson and Elsie Johnson both of Brainerd, MN and her brother Gene Bahr of St. Paul, MN. Viola was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years in 2000, a daughter Shelly Lynn Carlson in 1989 and by a brother Melvin. The family suggests memorials be made to the Selbu Cemetery. On-line guest book is at www.bruningfuneralhome.com
Bruning Funeral Home, Colfax, is caring for the family.