Viola Marie Willits, daughter of Vernon (1904-1989) and Mary Matilda (Esch) (1909-1999) Willits, was born 8 May 1936, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan. Viola graduated in 1954 from Okemos High School. She married Fermon Joseph "Pete" Byinton 18 February 1956, Lansing. Pete was a US Navy veteran. Viola and Pete celebrated 3 children and 53 years of marriage.
Pete, born 13 November 1930, Missouri, died 28 February 2009, Lansing. Viola died 7 June 2017, Eaton County, Michigan.
Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte obituary:
Viola Marie Byington, 81, of Bellevue, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Viola was born May 8, 1936, in Lansing, the daughter of Vernon and Mary M. (Esch) Willits. She graduated from Okemos High School in 1954. Following graduation, she married her sweetheart FJ (Pete) Byington on February 18, 1956, in Lansing, MI. Together they would spend over fifty wonderful years married and living on the family farm in Bellevue. She was also a very active member of the Bellevue Christian Center, where she was an exceptional woman of God, prayer warrior and also having a servant's heart. Viola would call and visit local shut-ins and recent widows to see how their day is going and if she could help them with anything. She was a true testament of how life should be lived.
Viola was known as the "craft diva", she loved crocheting, quilting, sewing and knitting. There was no craft project that she could not handle. She made numerous prom dresses, clothing for her children and even a wedding dress. Most importantly she worked with her dear friend Karen and crocheted hats for babies at the local hospital. Each year they would crochet around 100 to 200 hats. She also taught crafts at the local 4-H, as well as ran and coordinated the Bellevue craft show for 15 plus years. Viola absolutely loved having family functions where she would cook her family favorite goulash and her pumpkin pie. When not devoting her time to her family and her faith, she was the Angry Birds Friends champion, a game that she played on the computer with friends every day. Above all Viola was most proud of her 50 plus year marriage with Pete, her children, her family and her work with the church.
Viola is survived by her sons, Brad (Bernadette) and Brian Byington; daughter, Tracey (Scott) Gerdeman; grandchildren, Brent (Lacey), Chad, Nick, Robert (Callie), Nate (Nicole) and Melissa (Kenny); 6 great-grandchildren; siblings, Charlie and George Willits and Virginia Pettinger; and many extended family and beloved friends. She is predeceased by her husband Pete; parents; and siblings, Jim and Leland Willits.
A Memorial Service is scheduled for Friday, August 18 at 10:30 a.m. at the Bellevue Christian Center in Bellevue.