Viola Davis, 95, of Worthington, MO, passed away at the Scotland County Hospital on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, surrounded by her loving family. Viola Valee (Wiles) Davis was born near Sidney, MO, in Putnam County on December 15, 1925, the daughter of William Pearlie and Leota Bell (Mahoney) Wiles. She attended Clark School for 8 years, walking 5 miles roundtrip, even at the age of 5! Viola attended high school in Unionville, graduating in 1943. She attended the Kirksville Normal School the following summer, then started teaching at the Halley School that fall. Viola went home one day after school with two students, where she met the love of her life, Glen Cecil Davis. Glen and Viola married on May 21, 1944 and began farming west of Sidney. They moved to Stringtown to work for Dale Ream. They later moved to the 40 in Sidney, then in 1952 they made their final move to the farm at Worthington, MO. Viola drove the school bus for the Martinstown and other rural schools, then later worked as substitute postmaster at the post office in Worthington, becoming postmaster in 1981, where she worked until she retired in 1988. Viola was a faithful member of the Martinstown Church of Christ. She enjoyed doing crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, word searches, crochet, spending time with her grandkids, great grandkids, and great-great grandkids. She was an excellent cook and had a green thumb, as evidenced by her windowsills full of violets and various other plants.
Viola is survived by her sister Velva (Wiles) Lawrence of Kirksville, MO; sister-in-law Sandra Davis of Newton, IA; children, Carl and Carolyn (Jerome) Davis of Worthington, MO, and Darl and Linda (Whitworth) Davis of Unionville, MO; and grandchildren John and Ann Davis of Worthington, MO, Mikel Davis of Kirksville, MO, Melanie Davis of Austin, TX, Jeffrey and Trinity Davis of Memphis, MO, and Eric and Christina Davis of Worthington, MO. She is also survived by 9 great grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Viola was preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters, Vera Billington and Virginia Luiken, and two brothers, Artist and Arthur Wiles.
Funeral services will be held for Viola at Playle and Collins Family Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. in Unionville, MO, on Saturday, October 16, 2021. Burial will be at the Martinstown Cemetery. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. immediately preceding the funeral. Memorials are suggested and checks made payable to the Martinstown Church of Church of Christ or the Martinstown Cemetery and may be entrusted with Playle and Collins Family Funeral Home, 709 S. 27th, Unionville, MO 63565