Violet Manolovits

Violet Manolovits, 91, Bismarck, died August 28, 2015, at St. Vincent Care Center, Bismarck. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, September 12, 2015, at New Song Church, 3200 N 11th Street, Bismarck.Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.Violet Lillian Eliasson Witikko Manolovits was born on July 9, 1924 in Lyman, Burleigh County, North Dakota to Eino Edward Eliasson (November 8, 1889 to July 10, 1967) and Lillian Emily Eliasson (Reckman) (1898 to 1980). Violet's father was born in Vihanti, Finland and he immigrated to America in 1903. Her parents were married on January 15, 1916. Violet was the youngest child. She had an older sister Edna Elizabeth Eliasson (1916 to 2001), a brother Edward Elven Eliasson (1918 to 1998) and a sister Ellen Emily Eliasson (1917 to 1917). Violet was baptized in the Lutheran Church on February 25, 1925 in Wing, North Dakota. Her baptism certificate is a very ornate document and it is written in Finn. Violet grew up on a farm. She talked about helping her mother cook for very large threshing crews that would come to her parents' farm to harvest the grain. She said this was in the days before they had refrigerators on the farm and they would do things like cook lots of pork chops in the morning and then place them in a large crock and they would pour melted lard over all of them to prevent them from spoiling. Then when lunch would come they would melt the lard and warm up the pork chops to serve. She also talked about getting a bicycle one year that she would use that to go out to the field to bring the cows in to be milked. She and her brother Eddie did fur trapping. They trapped weasels, skunks and rabbits. Vi graduated from Wing High School.Violet met her first husband Uuno William (Bill) Witikko (June 14, 1917 to May 14, 1974). When they met he had his own business. She said that he had a new pickup truck and he would drive out to the farms and buy their cream and haul it to town to sell to the creamery. Grandpa Bill was drafted into the Army in World War II. Violet and Bill were married on December 31, 1941 when they eloped to Minnesota because she was only 17 and wanted to get married before Grandpa Bill shipped out. In 1942 Bill was sent to Fort Dix, New Jersey for training before he was shipped over to Europe. Violet moved to New Jersey while Bill was stationed there and she lived in a boarding house and then with an older couple. Vi worked in a defense factory making jungle hammocks and sewing clothes for the servicemen.Grandma told me a story about she and Grandpa Bill and another couple in New Jersey went out to the beach for a cookout one evening. They snuck onto the beach, which was closed at night because of the war. They were all picked up by the military police and taken in. They were held while their story was checked out and then released after a few hours.Grandpa Bill was part of the D-Day invasion at Normandy Beach. Grandpa Bill was a medic in the army. Grandma talked about their first child, Carole Jean Witikko (January 29, 1944 to November 22, 1988) was born while Grandpa was still in the Army and in Europe. Grandma talked about it took over a month for Grandpa to get the news that he was a father and that they had a baby girl. Carole was 1 year old by the time he got to see her for the first time.After the war was over Grandpa Bill came home and they had a second daughter, Diane Mae Witikko (1946 to 2007). They moved to Chicago while Grandpa was attending school for auto body work and painting cars. Bill and Violet had a farm for awhile, but sold the farm and Bill went on to other work. Grandma Vi told stories of working in a candy store and having to walk home at night in a gangster neighborhood.They moved back to North Dakota. In 1958 Violet and Bill had their third daughter, Lorraine Lillian Witikko(1958-1999). During the early 1960's Violet and Bill lived in Elgin, ND. That is where Carole and Diane both met their first husbands, Curtis and Robert Ulrich (who were first cousins). They moved from the Elgin area to the Bismarck area. Grandpa Bill worked in a shop in Mandan off the old bridge across the Missouri River. Grandma Violet worked in housekeeping/central supply, at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck for 23 years. Grandma also managed two apartment buildings in Bismarck for many years and did home health care in her spare time. Violet was widowed in 1974. On February 5, 1977 Violet re-married. She married Adam Manolovits (April 13, 1917 to October 1983) in Reno, Nevada. Her oldest grandson, Vernon Ulrich gave the bride away at the ceremony. It was a small ceremony at a wedding chapel. Violet and Adam then returned to North Dakota and made their home in Bismarck.In the 1980's Violet moved from North Dakota and moved to Reno, Nevada and to Gardnerville, NV in 1989 to live near her youngest daughter Lorraine. She worked as a home health caregiver. She loved to take care of people. She told many stories about her jobs.In 1995 Violet moved from Gardnerville and went back to North Dakota so she could enjoy the birth of her great-grandson, Joseph Newton. She lived in the basement of an old friend that she was doing home health care for. She enjoyed babysitting Joseph and teaching him to cook and bake as he grew up.In 2001 Violet finally retired from working and moved to Tucson, Arizona to be close to her middle and last living daughter, Diane. She lived in Tucson for a short time and then she moved back to North Dakota to be near her granddaughter Cherie and her family after she developed health problems. She lived at Jacobson Memorial Care Center and then Dakota Hills Assisted Living.In 2011, Violet moved to Fallon, Nevada and lived with Vernon and Laura Ulrich for six months. However she missed North Dakota and wanted to move back. Violet moved back to North Dakota in 2012 and lived in Elgin.Violet lost her first grandchild in 2012, when Conway Ulrich passed away.In 2013 Violet moved back to Bismarck to live in Edgewood Vista Assisted Living to be closer to her doctors. After more health issues arose she moved to St. Vincent Care Center in Bismarck in November 2014. On August 28, 2015 the good Lord came to take Grandma Vi home to heaven.In perspective Violet experienced many things in her lifetime. She witnessed electricity and telephone service come to rural North Dakota farms. She lived through World War II, often wondering and worrying about her husband serving in the Army in Europe. She had three daughters, who all preceded her in death. She was widowed twice and she lost one adult grandchild. She witnessed numerous innovations such as 8 track tapes, cassette tapes, microwave ovens, personal computers and cellular telephones. The world changed greatly during her life and she adapted to the changes in her own way. She is survived by: three granddaughters Barbara Thomas, Tucson, AZ; Cherie (husband Bryan) Ellison, Lincoln ND; and Tiffany Hendrix, ND; one grandson Vernon (wife Laura) Ulrich, Fallon, NV; two great-granddaughters Jessica Espinoza, WA; and Anjoleigh Hendrix, NV; and five great-grandsons Kevin (wife Carole) Ruhnau stationed in Germany; Jason (wife Gracie) Ruhnau, Fernley, NV; Steven (wife Emily) Flemmer, Bismarck, ND; Joseph Newton, Bismarck, ND; and Anthony Dobson, Reno, NV; two great-great-granddaughters Samanth Ruhnau, Germany and Kimberley Ruhnau, Fernley, NV and two great-grandsons James McKinney, Spring Creek, NV and Richard Ruhnau, Tacoma, WA.