Viola Ottenwess

Viola Ottenwess was a woman who loved her family, who had been strengthened by adversity, and who knew what hard work was all about. She had a generous spirit and loved to give of her time and talents. Viola was a woman with a warm and giving heart, who could always be counted on as a support for those close to her and a shoulder to lean on.

The Roaring Twenties were a fantastic period in our nation’s history, when the sounds of progress could be heard in every village and city across America. It was the birthplace of jazz, the golden age of industry, and above all, a time of plenty. For Mike Wysocki, a cabinet maker, and his wife, Jane (Grzegorski), of Grand Rapids, Michigan, it was a time of great celebration for their family. On May 28, 1928, the couple delighted in announcing the birth of their daughter, Viola Marie.

Viola was the second of five children in her family, and grew up in a close-knit home near John Ball Park. She attended Sacred Heart Elementary School and only got through the 10th grade at Union High before her older brother contracted scarlet fever and the whole family had to be quarantined. Missing so much school meant that Viola would have to repeat a grade, so her mother gave her permission to drop out and go to work full time. Viola held various jobs over the next few years, including at an ice cream parlor and as a sales clerk and cashier at Herpolsheimer.

In the spring of 1947, a wonderful thing happened to Viola while chaperoning her younger sister at a dance. She met the love of her life, Richard Ottenwess, and they began dating. Hopelessly in love, Viola and Richard were happily married at the Sacred Heart Church on November 29, 1947. The newlyweds settled into married life together in Grand Rapids, where they both worked - Richard drove a lumber truck and an ambulance for the police department and later worked as an officer and detective , while Viola worked various jobs, but mostly for her family’s business. Then, in 1950, the couple welcomed their first child, son Michael, who was later joined by his little sister, Nora, in 1961. Viola continued working after Nora was born, candling eggs and working as a sander at Morgan’s. Her mother watched Nora while she worked, though Viola always stopped over on her lunch hour to cuddle a little with her daughter (her mother only lived 3 blocks away).

Time together as a family was always important to Viola and Richard, and they took many opportunities to take their kids up north to their trailer on Pickerel Lake for some fun and relaxation. Eventually, Richard sold the trailer and built a cottage on Pettibone Lake, where they spent just about every weekend. Viola always loved it here, and although she couldn’t swim, she would wade in the water along with her kids. In later years, after the kids were grown, Viola and Richard traveled some, but only within driving distance.

Church was important to Viola too and she attended Mass every Sunday. Afterwards, she regularly went to Kmart to shop around, and one day she met her brother and sister-in-law, Harry and Dorothy, in the café, and they spent time together here over the years.

Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Viola had many talents around the house. She was a great cook, especially when she made spare ribs and sauerkraut. She also enjoyed making doll clothes for Nora, and knitted and crocheted countless hats to donate to hospitals for newborns and homeless shelters. She was always thinking of ways to help others. In her more leisure time, Viola loved watching John Wayne movies, and listening to music by marching and military bands. No matter where she was, Viola always had her favorite candy, starlights, on hand.

Although Viola’s life was happy, it was marked by great sorrow. She lost her son Michael when he was 25 in an industrial accident. Then, in the early 1980s, Viola retired from work because of severe arthritis, which in time caused her to be disabled. She didn’t let that stop her, however, from spending time with her grandchildren, who she adored. In fact, Viola frequently went out with “Aunt Lenore” and her grandkids, most often for a bite to eat at Arby’s.

Once again, Viola endured sorrow when her beloved husband Richard died in 1992, after 45 years of marriage. She never really did get over this heartbreak, and although she tried to stay active, going out with Aunt Lenore and babysitting her grandchildren, she began keeping to herself more. As her disability from arthritis became more profound, Viola moved to the Sanctuary at St. Mary’s nursing home in Grand Rapids. She quickly came out of her shell and made many new friends among the residents and the staff, and enjoyed the group activities. It was here that Viola passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2010, at the age of 82.

Viola enriched the lives of everyone around her and she will be dearly missed.

Viola was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; and son, Michael Ottenwess. Viola is survived by her daughter, Nora (Tracy) Fleming; grandchildren, Michael Scott Ottenwess, Susan Barresi, Kate Fleming-Smith, and Christopher Fleming; and great-grandchildren, Caleb, Audra, Javier, and Halle. Also surviving are her brothers, Harry (Dorothy) Wysocki and Carl Wysocki; sisters and brothers-in-law, Jack Van Dyke, James Ottenwess, Leon Ottenwess, Leonore Reynolds, Iris Ottenwess, and Eleanor Ottenwess; and many nieces and nephews.

The Funeral Service will be held at 6 PM on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at Sanctuary of St. Mary’s Chapel, 1050 Four Mile Road NW, Grand Rapids, with visitation for one hour prior. Memorial contributions may be made to In-House Hospice or St Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Please visit Viola’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with her family and/or sign the online guest book.