Funeral Services For Viola Mosel

 Viola Mosel, formerly of Orchard, passed away peacefully at the Community Pride Care Center in Battle Creek, Nebraska on March 31, 2017, at the age of 91.

Services will be at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Orchard, Nebraska Monday, April 3, 2017 at 10:00AM.  Visitation will be held Sunday, April 2 from 4 – 6PM at St. Peter’s.  Burial will be at the Lutheran Cemetery at Orchard.

Viola Ruby and her twin sister, Leola Ruth, were born February 11, 1926 to George and Martha (Schellpeper) Henzler on the family farm near Osmond, Nebraska.  She was baptized on March 14, 1926.  The twins were confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Osmond, April 2, 1939.  Her confirmation verse was “Grow in grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Viola shared memories of her life in a family history book in 1996:

“We attended country school the first and eighth grades, the rest of the grades were attended at the Immanuel Lutheran School in Osmond.  Us girls (Arlene, Leola and I) had a team of horses that pulled the green buggy, five miles into Osmond.  When the weather was nice, we carried our lunch pail (syrup pails) and walked back and forth to school. As twins, Leola and I shared everything.  When we were confirmed, our sponsors gave us a Bible to share. Dad said we could go to high school if we walked, so we “worked out”, helping the neighbors with housework, getting 50 cents a day.  Leola and I were 13 years old."

“When Arlene and I moved to Norfolk, after Dad passed away (1943), I worked at Hested’s dime store earning $18.40 a week wage!
“Gilbert and I met when Delbert (Viola’s brother) and Olga (Gilbert’s sister) were married.  Gilbert was home on furlough from the Army.  After his discharge from the Army, we were married the following December 15, 1946, at my mother’s home in Norfolk. (They made their home on a farm southwest of Orchard.) Our first baby was stillborn October 11, 1947, now it is grandson Chris’ birthday! Sharon was born Nov 3, 1948.  That year the corn was picked early, followed by a hard winter.  Val was born Sept 22, 1950.  This is the year we got electricity; it was a cool summer.  Carma was born Aug 27, 1952.  We re-shingled the house that year.  Von was born Sept 6, 1954.  We had a good corn crop.  Larry was born Dec 9, 1955.  We partitioned off part of the living room for a bathroom.  No more trips to the outhouse!  Connie was born July 2, 1962.  Our family took the oral Salk vaccine for polio at the hospital and got to see Connie and me, otherwise children weren’t allowed."

“We had family dinners for both sides of the family.  I think this is important for the children. Our first family trip was when Carma was a baby.  We traveled to Idaho to see Luella (Gilbert’s sister) and Raymond.  Another trip I remember, we went to the Black Hills sightseeing and saw the Passion Play.  For our 40th Anniversary the highlight was our trip to Hawaii.  We saw the Punch Bowl, Memorial Cemetery, and Pearl Harbor. My hobby is making tied quilts.  I am the janitor at the church and also clean the bank.”

Viola and Gilbert moved into Orchard from the Mosel Family Farm in 1981.  She continued to grow a large garden and care for her flowers.  Her grandchildren were her pride and joy.

Viola’s health began failing in 2005, and she was eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s.  She became a resident of the Community Pride Care Center in Battle Creek in 2009.

Viola is survived by her children:  Sharon and Bill Wyss of Lohman MO, Val and Janice Mosel of Pukwana SD, Carma and Mike Anderson of Battle Creek NE, Von and Dorothy Mosel of O’Neill NE, Larry and Nancy Mosel of Orchard NE, and Connie and Ron Goedecke of Okmulgee OK; 20 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and their spouses; 32 great grandchildren, including twin great granddaughters, plus six great step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son, two grandsons in infancy, husband Gilbert, brothers Delbert and Harlan, and sisters Arlene and Leola.

Ashburn Funeral Homes is in charge of arrangements.

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