Violet E. Unverzagt's Obituary
Violet Unverzagt was born Violet Evelyn Elkins on June 17th, 1927. Her parents were Elmer Henry Elkins and Bessie Rosey Alice Clinesmith. She was born in a house alongside the South Touchet River near Dayton, Washington.
The family moved to a farm on the North Touchet River where Elmer did some farming but mostly logging and horse packing. From there Violet would ride her horse about a mile to the Star School where her mother was a teacher. Violet attended school there through the seventh grade. The next year she went to live with a family in Benge, Washington, where she graduated from the 8th grade.
About the time she was twelve or thirteen she began going with her father to Thunder Camp, on the Twenty Mile trail, off Buck ridge, along the north fork of the Wenaha River, where he would pack in salt by horse for the free-range cattle. She continued going with him until she began having children of her own.
Some time in her fifteenth year, while horseback riding with her friend Eldora, way up the South Touchet River road, she came across two young men with a truck stuck in the river. One of these young men was Leo McLain, son of a Dayton wheat farmer. The two became friends and began dating. At about this time she went to work on a sheep ranch near Pasco, Washington. This is where she learned to cook.
Violet and Leo were married on March 22, 1943, in Walla Walla, Washington. They moved to a house in an apple orchard on the South Touchet River. Shortly after that Violet became pregnant and Leo had to leave for the Navy. Her first child, a son she named Daniel LeRoy was born in the Walla Walla hospital on June 10th, 1945 just one week before she turned 18. Violet packed up the baby and moved to Portland, where she stayed with Leo?s mother until he returned from the Navy.
The family then moved to Kellogg, Idaho. And they bought a small house on Elk creek up Moon Gulch. Leo worked in a mine and for the Bunker Hill Smelter. By July of 1950 they had three more children, Mary Evelyn in 1947, Lawrence Austin in 1948 and Edith Rose in 1950. In 1953 the family moved to the west hills of Portland, Oregon. Leo worked as a truck driver for Consolidated Freight. They bought a lot and built a house across the street from Leo?s mother and step father.
During the period she lived in Portland, she worked on the house, the garden, and her flowers. Violet was good at canning, sewing and looking after her children. She was a Cub Scout den mother and was supportive of her daughters in Campfire Girls. There were many family vacations and trips to places like Yellow Stone Park and British Columbia.
In 1960 Violet went to work for the White Stag Company, in downtown Portland as a seamstress. She worked there for thirty years before retiring as a Supervisor. She was proud of her career and her accomplishments.
In 1964 the family moved to a small farm in Scappoose. This meant that she had a long commute to work each day. She never complained about the drive. During the next few years her children began to leave home and start their own families.
In 1966 Violet and Leo separated and she moved a couple of different times around Portland.
On New Year?s Eve 1969 she met Glenn Unverzagt, in a restaurant in St Helens. They were married in April, 1970. Glenn had four daughters and a small farm in Goble, Oregon. Now Violet had an even longer commute to work and four new step daughters; Connie, Shelly, Rebecca and Sandra.
About 1977 she began organizing an annual pack trip to the Wanaha River. A tradition she would continue for the next 30 years until 2005. She loved to take friends and family, young and old to see the beauty of the place she loved so much. She was very good with horses and camping in the wild.
In 1985 the house in Goble was damaged in a fire. It was demolished and a new home was built to replace it.
In 2000 her husband of 30 years passed away. Once again she was single, however she was almost never alone. Friends and neighbors filled her life. Not to mention the 4 children, 4 step children, 23 grandchildren, 51 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild on the way at her passing. Until the last few years she always seemed to be able to remember everyone at Christmas.
About 2006 a medical condition began to keep her at home and inside, but there was never any doubt about who was in charge in her home.
She passed away in her own bed, at home on September 5th, 2010, with most of her family at her side. There can be no doubt that she loved and was loved throughout her life.
She will be missed.
Committal service & vault interment: Bethany Memorial Cemetery-Warren, OR.
Memorial contributions may be made to Longview Hospice.
on-line condolences may be sent to the family at www.columbiafh.com
Columbia Funeral Home-Directors
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