Viola Faye Gossen, Hillsboro
Viola Faye Gossen Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information (jostfuneralhome.com)
March 11, 1924 - August 15, 2022
Hillsboro - Viola Faye Gossen, 98, passed away August 15, 2022 at Hillsboro Community Hospital in Hillsboro. She was born March 11, 1924 in Waldheim, Saskatchewan, Canada to Peter and Margaret (Dyck) Gossen.
She was an elementary school teacher.
Life Sketch Taken from the Funeral Bulletin
Viola Faye Gossen
March 11, 1924 - August 15, 2022
Viola Faye Gossen was born to Peter C. and Margaret Dyck Gossen in Waldheim, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 11, 1924, the first of four children.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Leonora and Julius Toews, sister Margery and Marvin Ediger, and brother Harvey Gossen.
Surviving are Harvey's wife Anne, Richard Toews, Rodney Toews, Wesley Toews, Margery Toews Graham, Woody and Cindy Ediger, Marcelynn Ediger, Monty and Cheri Gossen, Bill and Heidi Nelgner, great-nephews and nieces and many cousins.
As a child Viola accepted Jesus as her personal savior. She was baptized at age 12 and was accepted into the Waldheim Mennonite Brethren Church. At the age of seven she contracted polio that affected her left side and she had to learn to walk again. She felt the effects of polio her whole life and she became wheelchair-bound in her later years.
Viola loved teaching and her first teaching position was in a one-room school in Canada. After teaching seven years in Canada she came to Kansas to attend Tabor College to finish her teaching degree. She received her master's degree at Emporia State University. She taught for 41 years in the Hillsboro area and many of her students reside here and have fond memories of Miss Gossen. She became good friends with fellow teacher, Jan Terman in 1969 and Vi (Nana) became a grandmother figure for the Terman family.
Music played a significant role in her life. She started singing in the church choir at the age of 12 and continued until she could no longer walk the steps up to the choir loft.
She enjoyed gardening, watching birds and taking meticulous care of her lawn. Not one dandelion was left unpicked. Viola also enjoyed her new cars. She will surely be missed.
Celebration of Life Service 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 3, 2022 at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church.
Memorials to Children's Ministry at the Hillsboro M.B. Church in care of Jost Funeral Home, P.O. Box 266, Hillsboro, KS 67063.
Online condolences at www.jostfuneralhome.com.
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