Viola Nathan

VIOLA NATHAN WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 18, 1935, IN SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, TO THE LATE ARCHIE WILLIAMS AND EVIE HOLMES. SHE WAS THE ONLY CHILD BORN TO THIS UNION AND WAS EDUCATED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, VIOLA PURSUED HER PASSION FOR BEAUTY AND SERVICE, PRESSING AND CURLING HAIR FOR MANY YEARS. SHE LATER RELOCATED TO WINTER PARK, FLORIDA, WHERE SHE DEDICATED 25 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE TO FLORIDA HOSPITAL BEFORE RETIRING. VIOLA MET THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, GEORGE NATHAN, IN SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, AT THE AGE OF 19. THEIR LOVE STORY CONTINUED AS THEY MARRIED IN JANUARY OF 1960 AND SETTLED IN WINTER PARK, FLORIDA, WHERE THEY BUILT THEIR LIFE AND FAMILY. THROUGH THIS LOVING UNION, EIGHT CHILDREN WERE BORN. WHILE VIOLA HELD MANY ROLES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, NONE WERE MORE CHERISHED THAN BEING A DEVOTED WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, AND FRIEND. SHE LOVED NOTHING MORE THAN SPENDING TIME WITH HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, AND CLOSE FRIENDS. IN HER EARLIER YEARS, VIOLA FOUND GREAT JOY IN ARTS AND CRAFTS, PARTICULARLY MAKING JEWELRY AND READING. SHE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS CREATING HANDMADE GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONE JEWELRY FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. VIOLA TOOK PRIDE IN CAREFULLY CRAFTING BIRTHSTONE BRACELETS FOR HER DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS TO CELEBRATE MILESTONE OCCASIONS. SHE ALSO HAD A NATURAL EYE FOR STYLE AND TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN HER APPEARANCE, NEVER MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRESS BEAUTIFULLY AND PRESENT HERSELF WITH GRACE. WHETHER ATTENDING CHURCH, A FAMILY GATHERING, OR A SIMPLE OUTING, VIOLA LOVED TO GET DRESSED UP AND CARRIED HERSELF WITH QUIET ELEGANCE. HER IMPECCABLE TASTE IN CLOTHING AND HANDBAGS WAS WELL KNOWN, AND THE PIECES SHE WORE-ALONG WITH THE JEWELRY SHE CRAFTED-OFTEN SPARKED WARM CONVERSATIONS WITH STRANGERS WHEREVER SHE WENT. A WOMAN OF DEEP FAITH, VIOLA ACCEPTED CHRIST AT AN EARLY AGE AND LIVED HER LIFE ANCHORED IN HER LOVE FOR THE LORD. SHE WAS A LIFELONG MEMBER OF BETHEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN WINTER PARK, FLORIDA, WHERE SHE FAITHFULLY SERVED ON USHER BOARD NO. 2 FOR OVER 20 YEARS. VIOLA LOVINGLY ENCOURAGED HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO TRUST GOD AND DEVELOP A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. VIOLA WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER BELOVED HUSBAND, GEORGE NATHAN; ONE DAUGHTER, BERNICE NATHAN; TWO SONS, AUBREY (EVANGELINE) NATHAN AND EUGENE NATHAN; HER PARENTS, ARCHIE WILLIAMS AND EVIE HOLMES; A GRANDSON, LAMARCUS BROWN; FIVE SISTERS-IN-LAW, LILLIE BELL, MATTIE MAY, RUBY, OZELLA, AND WILHELMINA; ONE SISTER-IN-LAW, GEORGIA BELL; AND TWO BROTHERS-IN-LAW, DAVID AND EDDIE IR. SHE LEAVES TO CHERISH HER PRECIOUS MEMORIES HER LOVING CHILDREN: SONS T (MOLLY) NATHAN, JEFFERY NATHAN, AND KENNETH (LISA) NATHAN; DAUGHTERS ANGELINA (RAYMOND) HILL AND JOYCE ANNE WILLIAMS; TEN GRANDCHILDREN; TWELVE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: SIX GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: AND A HOST OF NIECES. NEPHEWS, COUSINS, AND DEAR FRIENDS WHO LOVED HER DEEPLY. THE LORD, IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM, DEEMED IT TIMELY TO CALL OUR BELOVED VIOLA TO HER ETERNAL RESTING PLACE ON NOVEMBER 16, 2025. HER ABSENCE LEAVES A PROFOUND VOID FOR ALL WHO KNEW AND LOVED HER, AND SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

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Viola Nathan

February 18, 1935 - November 16, 2025