Viola Waite (Woolsey) Overton

Hamilton - On Sunday January 24, 2021God called Viola home. She missed church services going instead to the loving arms of God her savior where family and friends waited for her arrival. Since she wasn't prone to earthly vices, they had a long wait. Over 100 years. One of the oldest native residents of the Bitterroot valley, she passed peacefully at her home in Hamilton of natural causes. Viola Woolsey was born April 23, 1920 on the family homestead in Ambrose and lived in the three mile area until she married. She initially worked at the cannery in Stevensville and raised kids. In 1945 she married a marine returning from WWll named Bud Brown and resided in Stevensville until his death. Viola enjoyed a variety of jobs including working at Margie's Gift Shop and and later at the Cream Station where local milk producers delivered their cream, she determined butterfat content, weight and paid them accordingly. She worked at the old Arcadian Rest home, then the 'new' one on north Main and provided home care for several different members of the community in Stevensville and Hamilton. When the new highway system connecting the lower 48 states was being built, she drove pilot car for the construction site while her husband Bud ran the rock crusher. She was known by family and friends for her keen wit, sense of humor, her memory of songs and poems for any occasion, her old-fashioned knee slapping expressions, her memory of local history and it's citizens finding its way into amusing stories. Her walk with God saw her through the many tragedies that afflict our lives, and only strengthened her generous spirit and love of her fellow man. She found pleasure in the simple and natural things, looking after her pets and any other animal in need, and growing roses and anything else that flowered, making sure no visitor left her home without a bouquet of peonies or whatever was blooming at the time. She will be so missed. She leaves behind 3 children, Kim Childs, Sheila Neaves, and Janis Layne. Also, nine grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 13 great great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and one beloved sister-in-law, Bobbie Woolsey. She was preceded in death by her son, Irvine McKinney, parents Georgia Hayden Woolsey and Herbert Woolsey. Her sisters Harriet Shaw, Midge Parker, Virginia Makowski, Blanche Hubble, Grace Hoyum. Iris Peterson Holland, Dorothy Probert, and brothers Herb, Robert and Harry Woolsey. During her long life she had three husbands, all deceased, Bill McKinney, Herb (Bud) Brown and Rex Overton. Funeral arrangements are pending at Whitesitt Funeral Home and will be announced soon

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