Lifetime Harbor resident Viola Pearl Tori (Burnette) Lower passed quietly Dec. 4, 2016. Her daughters were able to share her final night. Her father Peter Julius Tori immigrated from Italy, her mother Pearl Louise Melvin from Wisconsin. They married, resided in Aberdeen and had six children, Viola the youngest born March 1, 1930. Viola attended A.J. West, Miller Jr. High, and Aberdeen High School.
Viola met S. SGT Archie Burnette who had recently returned from Europe in November 1945 at the end of WWII. They married and had three children: Archie Burnette Jr., Janice and Sharon. Viola worked at a local fish cannery, as the family picked brush to help subsidize. She loved country music, cooking anything her husband hunted, canning, clam digging, and fishing. Viola was also one of the first women in Grays Harbor hired by Rayonier to work in the early 1960s. Viola never recovered from the loss of her son S. SGT Archie Burnette Jr., KIA Viet Nam at the onset of the Tet Offense Jan. 31, 1968, during a search and clear mission he had recently been transferred to lead. After nearly 20 years of marriage she divorced, worked 3 jobs to keep her home before being hired at Grays Harbor Veneer. With her strong work ethic and moral character, Viola was not shy to vocalize her opinions for her tiny 5’ frame. She met and married Roy (aka Red, Ted, Grandpa Red) Lower in September 1968. Both Viola and Ted shared many Loggers Playdays, Eagles steak & lobster dinners, the love of animals, their flower and vegetable gardens, Hood Canal oysters and family events. Viola, diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Nodular Lymphoma in 1984, was a 32 year cancer survivor. Viola lost Ted in 2012, life again never the same. With declining health, she last resided at Montesano Health and Rehab Center with attending staff getting to know this tiny strong-willed opinionated little senior. Many thanks to those that had come to care and love Viola at MHRC!!!!
She is survived by daughters Janice Quien (Lyn), Sharon Fox (Mike), grandchildren Tony (Burnette) Hirschman (Dorena), Shannon Fox (Justin), Michael Fox Jr. (Holly), Michelle Howard (Trent), Debbie Quien Sargent, great-grandchildren BillieAnn, Brook, Kelsie, Zach, Aaron, Tessa, Addie, Makenzie, Chelsi, Kyli, great-great-grandsons Hunter and Jericho, stepson Monte Lower, many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren living in Nevada, Wyoming and Nebraska, nieces Marilyn Chillman and Caroline Edwards.
A Celebration of Life for Viola will be Saturday, June 3, at 1 p.m. at the Aberdeen Rotary Log Pavilion, 1401 Sargent Blvd. Aberdeen, WA 98520. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grays Harbor Paws, 800 1st St, Aberdeen, WA 98520.
