She was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church in LaPryor on July 8 of that same year. Around 1939 or 1940, the family moved to McCook, Texas so that the children could attend St. Paul Lutheran School there. When that school closed in 1944, the Noacks moved the family to Walburg, Texas, where they attended Zion Lutheran School. Viola was confirmed into the faith on March 14, 1948, at Zion Lutheran Church. While attending Georgetown High School, she played volleyball for the Eagles and was active in the Walther League through the church. She graduated in 1952 and went to Austin to attend Durham’s Business College to become an office assistant.
For the next 13 years, Viola worked in various doctors' and lawyers’ offices while traveling, spending time with girlfriends, sewing, and enjoying live country music of the time. Through church and her pastor, she met a Beaumont widower with two beautiful young adult daughters, Glynda and Marsha. She fell in love and married William H.B. “Bud” Fehl, Jr. on August 27, 1966, at University Lutheran Church in Austin. They moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he attended Concordia Seminary to become a pastor. Their first daughter, Elizabeth, was born during this time. They served in the ministry at St. Mark in Houston, and St. Matthew in St. Louis, MO. The last two children, Rebecca and Matthew were born in St. Louis.
In 1982, the family moved to Beaumont, Texas, to be closer to Bud’s family and to serve at Redeemer Lutheran Church. They enjoyed ministry together and expanded their involvement to organizations like Kiwanis International. After his retirement, they transferred to St. John Lutheran in Beaumont. He preceded her in death in July of 1992.
From 1992 to 2015, she continued to work tirelessly for the church doing all kinds of outreach and worship preparation duties. If she was not home she was probably at church or doing something for the church. She served on the altar guild and Lutheran Women's Missionary League, accompanied her pastor to nursing homes, and served many meals from the church kitchen.
In 2015, she “retired” and moved to Trinity, TX where she switched gears and served as an election poll worker and became a member of the Republican Women of Trinity County. This brought her geographically closer to Glynda’s and Matt’s families.
She is preceded in death by her spouse Bud Fehl, parents August and Rubina Noack, son-in-law Mason Nevill, siblings Edgar (Ramona) Noack and Laura (Mark) Wolf, and grandchild Gregory (Sherri) Jones.
Her legacy lives on in her surviving children Glynda Nevill, Marsha Fehl, Elizabeth (Rob) Fehl-Fort, Rebecca (Mark) Denney, and Matthew (Julie) Fehl; siblings Margaret (Bill) Kalmbach, Clara (Woodrow) Urban, Estella (Garland) Midgett, Linda (Junior) Almazan, Richard (Paula) Noack, and Melvin (Judy) Noack; grandchildren Justin & Caleb Denney, Devin, Robbie, Megan & Nathan Fort, Riley & Raegan Fehl; great-grandchildren Laurie Dengel, Gregory (Danielle) Jones, and Chase Jones; and great-great-grandchildren Johnny Carlson, Ava Jones, and Alexis Jones as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Viola passed away peacefully to her heavenly home on Friday, December 20. Full of elegance and grace, our mother set the bar high for everyone around her, she was a pillar of strength and faith in her church and family life. The family would like to thank the staff at Wood Glen Court Assisted Living and Devotion Hospice. We appreciate your care for Mom.
Memorial donations can be made to Lutheran Church Extension Fund – Texas District or Lutheran Outdoors Ministries of Texas.
Viola’s Confirmation Verse: Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
A visitation for Viola will be held Saturday, December 28, 2024 at 9:30 AM with a funeral service to follow at 10:30 AM at Trinity Klein Lutheran Church, 5201 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring, TX 77379. A reception will follow the services at Trinity Klein Lutheran that same day from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
A graveside service will occur Monday, December 30, 2024 from 12:00 PM at Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 4955 Pine St, Beaumont, TX 77703.
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