Viola A. Sebastian

Viola Sebastian, 87, passed away on Thursday, July 19th, at Missouri Slope Care Center in Bismarck, ND. The funeral service will be held on Monday, July 23rd at 10:00AM CDT at Calvary United Methodist Church, 609 N 34th St, Bismarck. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service from 9:00 – 10:00 am at Calvary United Methodist Church. Burial will be at the ND Veteran’s Cemetery at 1:00PM CDT. Viola was born in Elgin, ND, on July 10, 1931 to Karl J. and Barbara (Nathan) Schock, the youngest of 13 children. She attended country school until she moved into town with her parents, and went on to graduate from Elgin High School in 1950. She met John Sebastian of Heil, ND prior to his deployment to Korea. Upon his return, they rekindled their relationship. They married on August 2, 1953 in Elgin and moved to Bismarck, where John was employed. She was a stay-at-home wife and mother until 1967, when she became a part-time Avon representative. Over the next few decades she also worked part-time at Montgomery Ward and JC Penney. She worked up until ill health made it necessary to retire. In 1994, when John became ill, they sold the home in which they had lived for 35 years and raised their four children, and moved into a condo. John passed away in March of 1995. Viola remained in the condo, fiercely independent, until her health further declined in 2014. Although never formally trained, she possessed a strong alto voice and talent for playing the organ, piano, and accordion.  From the time she learned to speak, her musical family included her and she grew up singing in church choir as well in duets, trios, and quartets. For many years, she was church organist first at Bismarck Reformed Church, then later at Calvary United Methodist Church. She could also be counted on to provide accompaniment for choir, as well as for special music, weddings, and funerals. She was also part of a couple of musical groups over the years that provided entertainment at the nursing homes in Bismarck and Mandan. Viola was very passionate with her faith.  She was brought up in a Christian home and raised her family in the same way.  She was very active in church her entire life.  She taught Sunday School and Bible School, and participated in several bible study groups and Pastoral Outreach Programs. Because she was always seeking to increase her knowledge and nurture her faith, she continued to attend adult Sunday School classes until she was no longer able to attend. The example she set with the way she lived her life will live on in those whose lives she touched. Viola was a very big presence in her family.  She was always someone that would listen when you needed to talk.  Her kind spirit and zest for life will be missed. She is survived by her children and their spouses: John and Pat Sebastian, Bismarck; Mark and Gwen Sebastian, St. Paul, MN; Barbara Henry, Bismarck; and Deborah and Marc Charnholm, Belgrade, MT. She also leaves behind 6 grandchildren and their spouses and two great-grandchildren: Jamie and Jodi Sigler and their children Seth and Laikyn, Randy Richards, Crystal and Jeremy Schiwal, Cathy Henry and Derek Stout, Austin Charnholm, and Colton Charnholm. She was preceded in her journey home by her husband and love of her life, John; her parents, Karl and Barbara; her brothers Karl, John, Gustav, Roland, Reinhold, Art, and August; and her sisters Leontina, Maggie, Lydia, Martha, and Elsie.