Viola M. Jurjens

Viola was born June 16, 1932, to Italian immigrants, Sam and Maude Guidice.

On her last wakeful day, Viola told her family to “let nature take its course. It was 94 good years. Especially the last 72,” referring to her son Paul, whose 72nd birthday is next on the calendar. She was sharp until the end, and family was everything to her.

She spent her final years surrounded by the people who loved her, with her daughter and sons, grandsons, great-granddaughters, nieces, nephews, church family, and adopted family all nearby and looking in often. She remained fiercely independent. Her greatest hardship only came when she could no longer take care of others as she always had, though she still insisted on doing at least some of the dishes.

For generations of her family, Viola was the aunt in the kitchen, hosting the family gatherings at the farm, a dozen cousins at a time. Thank God, she lived long enough to teach the grandkids how to make meatballs (even though she took her pancake recipe to the grave). She hosted, fed, and took care of the many souls who found their way onto her porch over the years, and became a chosen mother to many.

Her great-granddaughters were the light of her life in her final years.

When Viola underwent a heart procedure in 2012, her goal was to live long enough to see baby Noelle Cassidy running through the heifer field. She did. Nine years later, she watched Noelle’s little sister running through that same field, many times. That was Violet Madalena, named for her. At Christmas and summer visits, Viola did art projects and made wildflower bouquets with the girls.

Viola was a talented artist. Her pen-and-ink sketches of her mountain home remain especially beautiful and treasured by her family. She was a jokester too, and had an often-surprising sense of humor.

Viola was married to Wilfred Jurjens for 70 years. They traveled all over the country together, as far as Alaska. Viola also traveled to meet her Sicilian family in Ragusa, the city of her ancestors.

Viola was a member of Meredith Baptist Church for 68 years. Over the decades she served as a Sunday school teacher and church secretary, sang in the choir, and was a soloist.

She worked for the Delhi Telephone Company for 34 years.

Viola was predeceased by her husband, Wilfred Jurjens; her beloved sisters, Rose, Ginny, and Lucy; and her brothers, Paul, Joseph, Frank, Albert, Nick, and Vincent.

She is survived by her children, Paul Jurjens and his partner, Patty Parsons; Gina Bell; and James Jurjens and his partner, Joan Ricker; her grandsons, Ryan Bell and his partner, Caitlin Riley, and Nathan Bell and his wife, Mell Bell; her great-granddaughters, Noelle and Violet Bell; as well as many nieces and nephews, beloved friends, and church family.

A Funeral Service will be held at Meredith Baptist Church, 4219 Turnpike Rd, Delhi, NY 13753, US, on October 19, 2026, at 11:00 am.

A Committal Service will be held at Meredith Square Cemetery, Turnpike Road, Meredith, NY 13753, US, on October 19, 2026, at 1:30 pm.

To send the family an online condolence please visit www.grummonsfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are by Grummons-Bookhout-Bennett Funerals & Cremations