Violet Marie Denison

Violet “Vi” Marie Denison of West Seattle passed away at The Kenney retirement home at the age of 98 on January 26, 2020. She was born at home in Fairdale Township, North Dakota on January 7, 1922, the second youngest of 6 children. After graduating from Crookston, MN high school, she met her husband - to - be Willis “Bud” Denison of Beltrami, MN. Bud was drafted into the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and was stationed in Florida where Violet joined him and they were married on January 16, 1945 in Boca Raton, FL. They were married for 70 years until his passing in 2015.

They returned to Minnesota where Bud worked with his father at the Beltrami dairy. They eventually followed Bud’s brother and a job offer to Seattle, WA with their first born, Gene, and settled in West Seattle. They had a second child, Richard, and lived in the same north admiral house for the rest of their lives. During this time they were lifetime active members of the Tibbets Methodist Church Congregation.

Violet was a homemaker her entire married life, taking care of and raising her two sons Gene and Richard. She epitomized the role of a housewife, a meticulous house keeper, taking care of the family and preparing meals. She loved to bake and share her baked goods with friends and family. However, her pride and joy was her backyard garden which she cultivated with her husband Bud. The garden was a myriad of perennials, annuals, and vegetables, but her specialty was hanging fuchsias, which numbered 250 at one point.

During their married life, Vi and Bud went on dozens of cruises (Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.) In addition to cruising, they loved to dance together at the Elks and Eagles clubs, especially the White Center Eagles. Many times they enjoyed these activities with her sister Dorothy and brother in law, Everett. They enjoyed being social with family, friends, neighbors, and their church family, hosting many get togethers at their home and garden parties in their backyard. They enjoyed traveling and camping in their camper, taking many summer vacations to Minnesota to visit family. They were wonderful grandparents to their two grandchildren.

Vi loved to knit, crochet, and enjoyed different arts and craft activities during her lifetime. She loved to play the slots at the Muckelshoot casino. She loved to attend water aerobics with her sister, Dorothy, at the West Seattle YMCA. She loved attending church services on Sunday and her work with the Sunday school. She loved working the annual church rummage sale. She loved the church music and especially the handbell chorus. But most of all she loved her relationships with friends, neighbors, and family, as well as being a doting grandmother to her two grandchildren.

Vi spent the last two and a half years living at the Kenney, first in assisted living and then memory care. She loved the staff at the Kenney and would want them to know how grateful she was for the care she received.

Vi is survived by her son, Richard (Laura) Denison, and her two grandchildren Trevor and Sarah Denison. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews in Seattle and across the USA.