Viola "Vi" L Whitmire

Viola (Vi) Lee Whitmire passed away, surrounded by her children, on April 22, 2023. Vi was born Viola Lee Veal on January 12, 1936 in The Dalles, OR. She met her husband, Ken Whitmire skiing at White Pass. Ken and Vi were married for 61 years and were able to travel the world together. Vi graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History. She was an artist in many areas, painting, photography historian, knitting, and most of all, sewing. Beautiful fabric brought her great joy. But, her greatest joys came from being with her family.

Vi was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Whitmire, and granddaughter Ashley Whitmire. Vi leaves her three children and their spouses, Linda and Tom Sellsted, Ward and Diana Whitmire, Brent and Diane Whitmire, seven grandchildren, Aaron Sellsted, Haley Sutton, Hana Whitmire, Ali Sellsted, Nicole Grant, Emma Burgess, Max Tim, four great-grandchildren, Avery Sutton, Dylan Sutton, Thomas Sellsted, and Elizabeth Sellsted.

Services are scheduled for Thursday, May 4th, 11:00am, at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Yakima. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to any of the following, all of which Vi had a passion for: Freedom Kits of Yakima, PBS, National Audubon Society, Doctors Without Borders, Union Gospel Mission, local food banks, and St. Timothy’s Episcopal church.