Viola Magdeline Huff

Viola was one of eleven children. The family relocated to Oregon when Viola was thirteen years old. She worked in the shipyards during WWII, followed by a career as a switchboard operator for Greyhound Bus Lines from 1954 to 1985.

During her first marriage to Charles Seymour, she gave birth to her son Dennis in 1955 and gave birth to her daughter Renee in 1956. In 1975, she married Marlin Huff in Reno, NV. Dancing was their favorite thing to do on Saturday nights at the Elks lodge. They were still dazzling everyone with their moves up to a few months before Marlin’s passing in 2003. They also enjoyed traveling, having taken a few cruises, visited Hawaii and celebrated some jazz in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

Viola had a love of collecting thimbles, acquiring many from her own travels as well as the travels of her family. Most importantly, she had a deep love for her children and grandchildren. Nothing gave her more joy than spending time with her family and spoiling them to pieces. She was affectionately known as “Nanny” by her loved ones and will be remembered with great fondness.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Rose Greisen, and by her husband of twenty-eight years, Marlin Huff. She was also preceded by four siblings, Bernice Piperno, Florence Flack, Roy Greisen, and an infant brother, Herbie Greisen.

Viola will be dearly missed by her son, Dennis Seymour and wife Linda, and daughter, Renee White; by her brothers, Ed Greisen, Bernard Greisen, Richard Greisen and Ervin Greisen; by her sisters, Loretta Taggart and Irene Ness; by her grandchildren, Michele Nelson and husband Rusty, Megan Morris and husband James, Kyle Seymour and Ryan Seymour; and by her great grandchildren, Brock Nelson, Carter Nelson and Kellen Morris.

A funeral service will be held at Mountainview Christian Church, 1890 NE Cleveland Avenue in Gresham on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 3:30 PM.

Viola will be privately interred at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR.