Age 88 of Inver Grove Heights, born in Lowry, South Dakota
Peacefully passed away July 15th, 2020 at home, surrounded by family. Viola Maroney was born Viola Irene Beitelspacher on August 3, 1931 in Lowry, SD to Jacob & Rose (Schilling) Beitelspacher. She was raised on a farm in Lowry and spoke only German when she started school. She and her siblings (Violet, Ilene, Dennis and Mavis) helped work the farm by milking cows, driving tractor, shocking/cutting grain. She talked about playing softball with her siblings in their spare time and how in the winter they would make homemade ice cream out of the snow.
Viola attended a 1 room country school house until she started high school. In order to attend high school, she had to move to Hoven, SD where she worked for her room & board at a house in town and would go home on the weekends (weather permitting) to help work the farm. She graduated from Hoven High School in 1950.
After high school she attended the Aberdeen School of Commerce and upon completion she became employed at the Walworth County Auditor’s office in Selby, SD. She worked there until 1954.
On August 14, 1954, Vi married Robert LeRoy Maroney of Lebanon, SD. They immediately moved to Salt Lake City, UT so Bob could attend school. There she worked for the Credit Bureau of Salt Lake until their first child, D’On, arrived prematurely in May 1955.
In January 1956, Vi and Bob moved to the Twin Cities; living in Minneapolis, St Paul Park and finally settling in Inver Grove Heights. Through the years they had four more children; Denise, Darlene (deceased), Duane and Doug.
She worked for several years at Armour & Company, and then attended photo negative retouching school, becoming a self-employed freelance retoucher. The last 10 years of her career were spent working in the office at Inver Grove Heights Middle School as a secretary.
Viola LOVED collecting salt & pepper shakers, rooster & chicken knickknacks, blue glassware & vases, and recipes. She was an avid baker and the two things her family loved most were her lemon bars & her mac n’ cheese! You never left her home hungry. In the last few years her favorite past times were talking to her sisters & friends on the phone and playing Words with Friends on her tablet.
Viola battled cancer in 2017/18 and was declared cancer free in July of 2019. Sadly, her cancer returned and she lost her battle on July 15th, 2020. She peacefully passed away, in her home, surrounded by family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jacob & Rosina; brother, Dennis; husband, Robert and infant daughter, Darlene. She is survived by her siblings, Violet, Eileen (Jim), Mavis (Edward) and Audrey; children, D’On, Denise (Dick), Duane and Douglas; grandchildren, William, Brooke (Nick), Tiffany, Kasey (Annie), Randi, Justin, Nathan, Willem, Alyssa and Chelsea (Leib); great-grandchildren, Evan, Zack, Mackenzie, Kiegan, and Hadassa. Memorial Service 11 AM Monday, July 20th, at Emanuel Lutheran Church 2075 70th St., Inver Grove Heights. Visitation 10-11 AM prior to the service at the church. Fellowship to follow outside after the service. Private interment at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.