Viola E. Newton, 92, of Charles City, passed away peacefully with her family close, on Saturday evening, July 2, 2011, at the 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.
Memorial services for Viola Newton will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 11, 2011 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Charles City. Pastor Jane Keel will officiate. Inurnment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Charles City.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church.
Viola Elisabeth Bergstrom was born June 25, 1919, to Swedish immigrants in St. Cloud, Minn. Her family moved to Charles City from Worthington, Minn. and owned Charles City Granite Works. She graduated from Charles City High School in 1938 and graduated from Waterloo School of Cosmetology. In 1940, she was united in marriage to Fred Newton. Viola worked for Charlie Lentz and Elite Beauty Shop. Vi and Fred owned and operated Band Box Cleaners, a successful cleaning business for more than 50 years. She was an excellent seamstress and accountant for the family business. Viola was first and foremost a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, and knitting. She shared her artistic gifts with family and friends. Her hand crafted Christmas ornaments, quilted wall hangings, quilts as wedding gifts to each grandchild were only few of her many artistic talents. She was an avid bridge player and never missed an opportunity to share her famous apple and blueberry pies and cookies. Viola will long be remembered for her consideration of others before herself.
Living family members include her husband of 71 years, Fred; children, John (Jean) Newton of Charles City, Virginia (Ed) Bakke of St. Peter, Minn. and Barb (Steve) Gleason of Charles City; grandchildren, Brian “BJ” (Teresa) Newton of West Salem, Wis., Lynn (Terry) Bauer of Charles City, Dustin (Tracy) Bakke of Princeton, Minn., Sarah (Tom) Joyce of Seward, Nebr., David Bakke and his special friend, Jessi Albrecht of St. Francis, Minn., Jesse (Erin) Gleason of Cedar Falls, Ben (Mandy) Gleason Ankeny, Beth Gleason and her fiancée, Dean Stone of Cedar Falls; and 13 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents John and Anna (Johannesen) Bergstrom; sister, Bette in 1940; and brother, Gilbert in 2002.
Memorials may be directed to the Messiah Lutheran Church or Floyd County Friends of Cancer.
The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com.
