Viola M. Uithoven

Please click on the Photos/Video tab to view a recording of Viola's funeral service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Client Community Services, Inc. – Hamilton House (Viola’s son’s, Glen, care facility in Worthington, MN) or the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.

VIOLA MAE UITHOVEN was born on April 24, 1933 to Abraham and Martha (Van Wyk) Van Roekel on the farm near Sioux Center, Iowa. When she was in the third grade her family moved to Minnesota. Her father was able to purchase a farm two miles west of the town of Beaver Creek. She attended school in Beaver Creek and graduated with the class of 1950. Following school, she worked as a realtor for a year in Luverne, Minnesota. During this time, she also started dating a childhood friend that she met through church, Marcus “Mike” Uithoven. The couple had a short courtship as Mike was headed to the Korean War. Mike asked her to marry him on December 8th and they were married less than two weeks later on December 18, 1951 at the Valley Springs Reformed Church. Mike left for the service in January of 1952 and Viola moved out to be near him at Fort Knox, Kentucky during basic training. When he left for Korea she returned to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she lived with a girlfriend and worked in the office at Hossenstein Steel. In the fall of 1953, Mike returned home and they lived and farmed near Valley Springs for the next eight years. The couple then moved to Beaver Creek where they farmed for six years before settling in Luverne, Minnesota in 1968. Viola was a homemaker for her family and later began a home daycare that she continued for the next 22 years. Mike and Viola both retired in 1996 and they began spending their winters in Mesa, Arizona and also enjoyed spending summers at their lake place in Lake Benton, Minnesota.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, while at her residence at the Good Samaritan Society – Poplar Creek Estates in Luverne, Viola went to be with her Lord at the age of 87 years, five months and 19 days.

Viola was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. She taught Sunday School and helped with youth programming in her younger years. She enjoyed sewing, golfing, listening to music, entertaining for family and friends and traveling. Viola and Mike traveled to 50 states and many European countries as well. One of her favorite trips was going to Holland and meeting members of her extended family. The couple remembers fondly the times they spent with other families on Mike’s softball teams, sharing food, laughter and good times. Viola always knew what they would be doing on Labor Day, 4th of July and Memorial Day…softball tournaments! Above all, Viola loved her husband and children. Even in hard times, she knew you had to just keep going, keep on digging and keep on loving. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who cherished time with her family.

Viola is remembered by her husband, Mike of Luverne; five children, Gary (Marcia) Uithoven of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Greg (Marilyn) Uithoven of Magnolia, Minnesota, Leanne (Jim) Zarling of Fairmont, Minnesota, Glen Uithoven of Worthington, Minnesota, and Lisa Uithoven of Omaha, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren, Heather (Jeff) Andre, Shannon Uithoven, Megan (Chad Sieddel) Uithoven, Marcus Uithoven (fiancé, Ashlee Placencio), Adam (Linda) Uithoven, Annie (Nick) Bork, Aric (Cassie) Uithoven, Kathryn (Billy) Moses, Tom Siebert and Zeven Sanders; 20 great-grandchildren; three siblings, Robert “Bob” (Jenny) Van Roekel of Brandon, South Dakota, Donald “Don” (Verlys) Van Roekel of Surprise, Arizona and Roger (Mary) Van Roekel of Beaver Creek; and other family. She was preceded in death by her parents; and two grandchildren, Amanda Uithoven and Shawn Uithoven.