She was born October 27, 1931 in South Solon at the home of her maternal grandparents, Harry and Flora (McLaughlin) Gardiner. Viola was the oldest of nine children of loving parents, the late Clarence W. and Dora (Gardiner) Tolman.
She had lived in Skowhegan since 1966, she attended a one-room school in South Solon, graduated as valedictorian from Somerset Academy in Athens in 1949, and received a diploma in advanced accounting from Skowhegan Business School in 1960. In the 50’s, she worked as a packer and inspector at Norwock Shoe on Spring Street; she worked as a bookkeeper many years for Wm. Philbrick Co., and for Gagne Dodge, Inc.
She was a charter member of Trinity Evangelical Free Church, Skowhegan, which was established in 1974; she held various offices at Trinity for many years, including Sunday School Superintendent and Vacation Bible School Director. She attended Crossroads Bible Church in Madison toward the end of her life.
From childhood on, she loved, and enjoyed, her large extended family; she enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, word games, photographs of family and friends, and writing letter and poetry.
Viola was predeceased by a son, Marshall Glen Hayden, who died December 22, 1971 at the age of four from encephalitis, a complication of chicken pox; her parents; three brothers: Clarence Jr. at age 2, in 1939; Charles W. Tolman in 2003; William Tolman in 2016; two sisters: Shirley Whitman in 2006, and her husband Elwyn, in 2008; Patricia (Pat) Reed in 2016.
She is survived by her much loved and wonderful husband of 71 years, Glen W. Hayden: two daughters and their husbands: Glenna Lee and Jim Pomelow of Cornville; Irene Elizabeth and Maurice Magoon, Jr. of Skowhegan; two sons and their wives: Russell Lynn and Donna Hayden of Cornville; Kendall Tolman and RoJean Hayden of Word of Life, Schroon Lake, NY; fifteen grandchildren: Brandon (Valerie) Pomelow and daughter, Kaitlyn of Athens; Nolan (Julie) Pomelow and sons, Alex and Jackson of Depew, NY; Erin(Tyler) Nelson of Skowhegan; Amy (James) Walton and son, Wilder, of Pittston; Andrea Magoon and son Evan of Cornville; Andrew (Ginger) Magoon and daughter Evelyn of Hinckley; Anthony Magoon of Canaan; Adrian Magoon of Schroon Lake, NY; Nichole (Brian) McCloy and children, Ellison, Kerrington and Britton of Bradenton, FL; Sylvia (Andy) Cote and sons, Noah and Zachary, of Bangor; Donnie Hayden of Cornville; Deanna (Devon) Meservie and son, David, of Norridgewock; Kyle Hayden (Bree) of Schroon Lake, NY; Kirk Hayden of Pottersville, NY; Kayli Hayden of Pottersville, NY; one brother, James Tolman of Brunswick, OH; two sisters, Pauline (Richard) Patterson of Hartland and Florida; Betty Smith of El Cajon, CA; her great-great granddaughter, Scarlett Hope of Athens. She is also survived by an ex-daughter-in-law, Beth Carver of Hermon, mother of Nichole and Sylvia.
At her request, there will be no visiting hours or funeral. A Private burial will occur at Mount Rest Cemetery, Athens, with committal services in the Spring.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine. Anyone who wishes to leave the family messages can do so on our website at – www.smartandedwardsfh.com
If you desire, the family asks that if you want to make a donation in her memory to: Child Evangelism Fellowship, 431 Campground Road, Livermore Falls, ME 04254
