Viola Margaret (Rudnick) Brown was born on July 6, 1925, at Gray, Iowa, the daughter of Edward and Louise (David) Rudnick. She was baptized August 18, 1925, confirmed June 2, 1940, and a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake. She attended school at Gray, Iowa and graduated with the class of 1943.

Viola was united in marriage to Merlin Beese on March 8, 1944, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa. This union was blessed with two daughters, Carolyn and Pat. Merlin passed away on January 6, 1974.

On April 7, 1978, Viola married Richard Brown at Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Storm Lake. Richard passed away on June 30, 2005.

Viola was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who enjoyed caring for her family, gardening, taking care of her flowers, dancing, painting, and fill-in-books. She was a great cook and everyone loved her potato salad and chili. Viola worked as a caregiver at the Twilight Acres Nursing Home, Storm Lake School system as a cook, and salad maker at Tjaden’s Café.

Viola passed away on Thursday, November 30, 2006, at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital in Lake City, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents, and husbands Merlin Beese and Richard Brown.

Those left to mourn her passing include her daughters: Carolyn Bahr and husband Don of Artesia, New Mexico; Pat Paysen and husband Dennis of Wall Lake, Iowa; four grandchildren: Randy (Michelle) Bahr, Bonnie (Ed) Ehmann, Susan Bahr, and Marvin Paysen; six great-grandchildren: Hannah Bahr, Brandy Ehmann, Erika Ehmann, Eddy Ehmann, Kristina Applegate, and Clayton Paysen; two great great-grandchildren: Faith and Skyla Applegate; extended family members and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 4th, at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake with Rev. Roger Carlisle officiating. Burial will be at the Manning Cemetery in Manning, Iowa, at 1:00 p.m., under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Sunday, December 3rd, at the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home in Wall Lake.