Viola Thrasher

Viola M. Thrasher, age 89, of Lamar, passed away Friday, February 27, 2015 at Truman Healthcare Center where she had been a resident for a few weeks.      Viola was born June 13, 1925, in Dade County, Missouri, to Olin and Ethel (Polston) Higgins.  She attended Sunshine Elementary School in Dade County, graduated from Golden City High School in 1943 and earned a teaching certificate from South West Baptist College in Bolivar.  She taught school at Prairie Chapel Rural School for two years. On September 15, 1945, in Girard, Kansas, Viola married Jack Thrasher and they made their home in Lamar. In addition to being a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she had worked in the jacket department at Smith Brothers for three years, was a checker at McKay’s Thriftway five years, and a teacher’s aide for Fran Nutt’s kindergarten class for a year.  Viola then began a 22 year career at Lamar Bank & Trust, working in the bookkeeping department and as a teller until retiring in 1990.  She was an active member of First Baptist Church.      Survivors include her husband of nearly 70 years, Jack, of the home; a daughter Linda and husband, David Ewers of Lamar; two brothers, Loyd (Sandra) Higgins, Granbury, Texas and Gary (Linda) Higgins, Travelers Rest, South Carolina; a sister, Ina (Walter) Baumgartner, Fulton, Missouri; two brothers-in-law, Frank Thrasher, Lamar, and John Thrasher, San Diego, California; a granddaughter, Amanda (Chris) Burr, Irwin, Missouri; two great-granddaughters, Hailey and Desirae Burr; many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.      Viola was preceded in death by her parents, Olin and Ethel Higgins, and a sister, Violet Thrasher.      Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at Daniel Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. Monday.  Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.      Memorial contributions are suggested to First Baptist Church of Lamar in care of the funeral home.