Viola was born on February 7, 1926 in Corning, Arkansas to Eva May (LaRue) and Kendrick Shephard Gibson.
She married Chester Irl Greathouse on March 23, 1946 in Henderson, Kentucky.
Viola was a schoolteacher at Miller Creek School , she worked at a shoe factory and “raised a lot of kids and helped on the dairy farm”. She was an active member of Ebenezer United Methodist Church at Samsville, IL, where she taught a children’s Sunday School class. Viola, along with Chester, was also actively involved in 4-H. Her life’s true calling, however, was that of a wife and mother, and she excelled at both.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Diane, one grandson, Baby James, two brothers: Jennings and Paul, and two sisters: Thelma Wynn and Zula Keller.
Viola leaves to cherish a lifetime of wonderful memories , her husband of over 67 years, Chester, of West Salem, IL, 11 living children, in order of their birth, and their spouses: Jim (Bonnie) Greathouse of West Salem, Larry (Kathy) Greathouse of Albion, Patricia (Allen) Yonaka of Parkersburg, Wanda (John) Fishel of West Salem, Steve (Rosie) Greathouse of Albion, Debra (Jerry) Mason of West Salem, William Joseph (Nancy) Greathouse of West Salem, David Greathouse of Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, Donnie (Sherry) Greathouse of West Salem, Jane (Paul) Casaleggi of Mt. Carmel, IL and Richard(Jennifer) of Oblong, IL. She leaves many memories for 39 grandchildren, 62 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Her sister, Pearl Billington of Olney, IL, brother-in-law, Robert Greathouse of Rockford, IL and sister-in-law, Audrey Franz of Washington will also remember her fondly.
A Celebration of a Life Well-Lived Service will be held at 2PM, on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at the Zion United Methodist Church in West Salem, IL. with Pastor Cathy Seaton, officiating. Burial will follow at the Ebenezer Cemetery, Samsville, IL.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 from 5 to 7 PM at the church.
The family has requested that memorials take the form of donations to the Ebenezer Cemetery for maintenance.
Ingram Funeral Home of West Salem is entrusted with the arrangements.
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