Viola Howrie

Viola P. Howrie passed away December 18 at her home in Terrell, Texas. She was born to Lee Roy Woody and Lila Beatrice Woody on July 26, 1934 in Lacombe, Alberta. When she was young child the family moved to Coronation, Alberta where her father inherited his father's farm. She received most of her primary education in a one room school near the family farm. Later, the family purchased a farm near Sylvan Lake, Alberta where she completed her primary schooling. She then attended Red Deer Composite High, a residential co-ed school for farm children.

During her first marriage she gave birth to her first child, Denise Ann in 1954. In 1958 she and Ian Howrie were married in Red Deer, Alberta. They were subsequently blessed with the births of children Kim Diane in 1959, Susan Lynn in 1960 and Ian Scott in 1963. Currently, Denise resides with her husband Jerry Sanderson, in Joshua, Texas, Kim resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband Don Srygley and Scott lives in Terrell. A grandson, Ryan, born to Denise in 1987 resides with his wife, Nicki in Burleson, Texas.

Vi, preceded in death by her parents and brother, Mavin and infant child Susan and survived by her husband, children and grandchildren, and younger sister Patricia Beatrice Riggs (nee, Woody).

She worked as a secretary in Calgary and later, Red Deer, Alberta until her marriage to Ian in 1958. In 1967 the family moved to Texas residing in Richardson until 1969 when they purchased a home in Dallas.

Once the children were older she returned to work for a third party leasing company leading to promotion as area sales manager and worked there until she and Ian moved to Norway in 1982. There she met and befriended several Norwegian couples.

While in Norway she arranged several trips in Europe, the most exciting being riding the Orient Express from London to Venice and a motor trip through Denmark, Germany and Austria, each night staying in a different castle. After returning to the US in 1986 at Terrell, she worked at Terrell State hospital and later, at Dallas County MHMR in Parkland Hospital. She retired from Dallas County at 65. Post retirement, she quickly became active in bridge groups, the Browning Club, the First Presbyterian Church and most recently a book club. She loved to read and entertain in their beautiful old home. She never met a stranger and always enjoyed meeting and learning about people.

There will be a memorial service held Saturday, December 23, 2017 at 10:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church in Terrell, Texas