Viola Lydia Kovar Chervenka Davis

Viola Lydia Kovar Chervenka Davis, 88, of College Station, formerly of Leedale, passed away Thursday, October 1, 2009. Services are set for 10　am Monday, October 5, at Ocker Brethren Church in Zabcikville, with Rev. Ron Winsman officiating. Burial will be in Ocker Brethren Church Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 pm Sunday, October 4, at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple. Viola was born to Frank and Emma Kovar in Rossville, Kansas, on March 7, 1921. The Kovar family, including Viola and her younger brothers Raymond and Otis, moved to the Temple area when Viola was four years old. She graduated from Rogers High School in 1939. On May 20, 1941, Viola married Woodrow Chervenka. They had three children, Woodrow Glen, Delores Nell, and Esther Frances. Over the years, the family raised chickens and cattle, and farmed, mostly in the Leedale area. Having been involved in 4-H in her youth, Viola encouraged her children to do the same, while she served as a leader. She received a State 4-H alumni recognition award in 1959. She was actively involved in the Leedale Home Demonstration Club (now Texas Association for Family and Community Education), which led to leadership positions at the local, district, and state levels, and she was recognized as a fifty-year member in 2000. Viola joined in the work of the Ocker Brethren Christian Sisters at the age of 16, and continued until she moved to Bryan in 2004. Woodrow was taken from Viola after his brief battle with cancer ended in October 1988. In January　1990, she began to spend the winter months in the Rio Grande Valley, where she met Stanley Davis. They married on September 26, 1992, and continued to spend winters in The Valley until they moved to Bryan. Cancer once again took a husband from Viola, this time in December 2004. Viola loved to dance - especially polka - and was once privileged to dance with Lawrence Welk. She loved to quilt - and has made quilts for each of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her great-great-grandchild. Growing flowers was a hobby she learned from her mother, and enjoyed for many years, both in Leedale and in the Valley. Viola also loved to travel - across Texas, the United States, and the world - and always had a suitcase ready to go. Viola was a member of the Ocker Brethren Church, SPJST, and the Mutual Aid Society of the Unity of the Brethren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Woodrow Chervenka; husband of 12 years, Stanley Davis; parents, Frank and Emma Kovar; and brothers, Raymond and Otis Kovar. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Woodrow Glen and Freda Chervenka of Bryan; daughters and sons-in-law, Delores and Walter Haisler of College Station, and Esther and Marvin Luksa of Alamo; grandchildren, Cindy and Robby DeWitt and David Haisler of College Station, Natalie and Joe Outlaw and Susan and Matt Barnes of Bryan, Kevin and Sharon Chervenka of Round Rock, Thomas Luksa and Rebecca Luksa of Alamo, and Paul and Tiffany Haisler of Houston; great-grandchildren, Stephanie and Vince Morehead and Adam DeWitt of College Station, Jessica, Beth, and Rachel Barnes and Layne and Dylan Outlaw of Bryan, Zachary and Andrew Chavez of Alamo, Justin Chervenka of Round Rock, and Joshua Haisler of Houston; great-great-granddaughter, Melanie Morehead of College Station; and sisters-in-law Dorothy Urubek of Temple, and Martha Chervenka of Rogers.