Viola M. Stralow, 99, died December 28, 2017, at her Windsor Manor home in Morrison, IL, following a short illness.
She was born January 24, 1918, in Lyndon Township, the daughter of Joseph and Mildred Wood. She was educated in Lyndon schools. In December 1935, she married Mervin F. Stralow of rural Morrison. They became lifelong Morrison residents and had one daughter, Joyce, born in 1937. “Vi” became a familiar face on Main Street from the mid-1940’s, years all spent in retail sales beginning with Buikema’s clothing for men. She then spent over 50 years serving customers at The Kem Shop until her retirement in 1996. She continued doing Kem Shop alterations for a number of years and volunteered computer services at Morrison’s Odell Public Library as they converted files to digital. She was also a regular volunteer at the Morrison Historical Society. In 1989, Viola and Mervin were honored as Grand Marshalls for Morrison’s first annual Christmas holiday parade.
Viola would have turned 100 on Wednesday, January 24, 2018. A public committal and Celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 p.m., on that day, preceded by a family-hosted dessert and coffee hour. Both will be held at the Morrison United Methodist Church where Viola was an active member for over 70 years. There, with her husband, she sang in the church choir and provided other volunteer services.
Viola was preceded in death by Mervin in 1994 and her daughter one month ago, November 28, 2017.
She is survived by her granddaughter, Kyrsten Downing of Chicago, IL, and son-in-law Kurt A. Reichardt of Berwyn, IL.
Her cremains will be interred next to her husband’s and daughter’s in Garden Hill Cemetery at a family burial.
In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be given to Morrison United Methodist Church or to Windsor Manor, Morrison, IL, for medical care needs.