TURNEY, VIOLA MAYE - Cleburne County, Arkansas | VIOLA MAYE TURNEY - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

Viola Maye TURNEY

Higden-McLehaney Cemetery
Cleburne County,
Arkansas

July 20, 1916 - Feb 18, 2007

*Obituary

Viola Maye Turney died Sunday, Feb. 18, at age 90. She was born on July 20, 1916, the daughter of the late George Allen and Lucy (Allison) Turney in Higden, Arkansas.

A lifelong proponent of education, Viola graduated high school at Heber Springs in 1934 and became a teacher at Prim. She then attended the Chillicothe Business College at Chillicothe, Missouri, where she studied to be a secretary. Following graduation in 1939, she returned to Heber Springs, working as a secretary for the Public Health Department.

In 1943 Viola joined the Women's Army Corps. Following basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and an assignment to attend commerce school at Steven A. Austin Teachers College at Nacogdoches, Texas, she was assigned to Fort Hamilton at the New York Port of Embarkation in Brooklyn. During her time there, she served as a secretary of personal affairs and in the legal assistance office.

While in New York, Viola was placed in a detached service status in order to attend a personal affairs school on the campus of Washington-Lee University. From there she was sent to Angle Island, a part of the San Francisco Islands, doing personal work.

Following the end of her service, Viola returned to her old job in Heber Springs. Taking advantage of the G.E. Bill of Rights, she then attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she received bachelors degrees in both business education and in general business in 1949. Following graduation, she was employed as a high school business teacher and bookkeeper in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Continuing her studies during the summer terms, she received a master's degree in education from the U of A in 1956. After teaching at Jacksonville for 32 years, she retired in 1981. She was an avid bridge player. In 2004 Viola moved back home to Higden.

Viola was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Lydel, Civil "Red", Thurman and Clayton; sister, Nadine; and nephew, John Turney. She is survived by sister, Georgette Adams of Seattle, Washington; nephews, Gene and Glen Turney of Higden, Gray Turney of Heber Springs, Darrell Turney of Youngstown, Ohio, Tom Adams of Houma, Louisiana; nieces, Ursula Reynolds of Canoga Park, California, Linda Kirk of Seabeck, Washington, JoAnn Brock of Fresno, California, and Mary Lois Sutera of Concord, Arkansas, and a special, special niece and caregiver, Mary Lee Turney of Higden, whom she made her home with the last two years. She is also survived by 15 great-nieces and nephews, 15 great-great nieces and nephews, and 5 great-great-great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Wednesday at Olmstead Funeral Home, Inc. in Heber Springs from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at Holiday Hills Methodist Church in Greers Ferry, Arkansas. Interment will follow at Higden-McLehaney Cemetery.

Contributed on 3/20/13 by hawkinsdonna48
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Record #: 849353

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Submitted: 3/20/13 • Approved: 3/20/13 • Last Updated: 3/23/13 • R849353-G0-S3

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