Viola M Covey

Funeral Services for Viola M. Covey will be conducted from the Trinity Lutheran Church at Stamford, Nebraska on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Thalia Woodworth officiating. Interment will be in the Orleans Cemetery in Orleans, Nebraska.

The heavens rejoiced as Viola Mae Covey, the youngest child of Clarence Leroy and Zelda (Heasley) White was received into God's loving arms. Viola was born January 31, 1913 at Woodruff, Kansas and left this earth at the age of 99 years, 7 months and 16 days on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at the Colonial Villa Good Samaritan Center at Alma, Nebraska. She received her education from the Harlan County District #10 rural school. Viola was a young child when her mother passed away and her father remarried, Mary (Lehmann) Schmalken. Mary had three children she brought into this marriage. In addition, four children were born to the family giving Viola a total of eight siblings. They often mentioned that they always felt that they were not step or half siblings; they were true brothers and sisters.

Viola was united in marriage to Cecil Bushnell in September of 1930 and they were blessed with two sons: Dean and Kenneth. Cecil preceded in her in death. Viola remarried on March 17, 1952 to her sweetheart, Floyd D. Covey.

Before devoting her life to the farm with Floyd, Viola was employed at the telephone office in Stamford and as a telephone operator in Orleans. Not only did Viola dedicate her life to loving and supporting Floyd on the farm south of Stamford, she also shared his love for the land, animals and family members they had been blessed with.

Success can be defined in many ways, it was once said, "Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of children" This definition fits Viola's life. She was a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother. She will be remembered for her kind disposition and the love she showed all of God's creation. Many of God's creatures, such as dogs, cats, and chickens were lucky enough to be cared for by Viola and Floyd. She worked tirelessly to make the land they resided on a better place. On January 26, 2005 she was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd.

Besides her two husbands' and her parents; Viola was preceded in death by two daughters-in-law: Emma and Angie Bushnell; step-mother, Mary; and her siblings: Ora, Ruby, Lee, Vera and Louis. She leaves to mourn her passing her; two sons: Kenneth Bushnell Sr. of Alma and Dean Bushnell of Littleton, Colorado; three sisters: Minnie Mintzmyer of Alma, Helen Martin of Beaver City, Nebraska, and Dorothy Hinze of Lincoln, Nebraska; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:p.m. at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Orleans.

A memorial has been established in her memory and kindly suggested to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stamford.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Mitchell Funeral Home in Orleans is in charge of the arrangements.