This is my mother, Viola, and me, in 2012. She passed on to the afterlife day before yesterday after a long and fruitful life, mostly as a Cokonougher. Her obituary follows:
"Viola Mae Cokonougher Cassidy, age 87, of Washington C. H., formerly of South Salem passed away on Friday, April 8, 2016 at home surrounded by her family. She was born on September 21, 1928 in Fruitdale, the daughter of Harold and Nora (Spurgeon) Hester. She previously worked as a cook, baker, and health care worker. She was known far and wide for her sewing and cooking skills, and enjoyed her family, organizing reunions, fishing, camping, country music and the Paint Valley Jamboree. She is survived by two sons, Ralph Cokonougher and Clifford (Wanda) Cokonougher; two daughters, Judy Wical and Shirley Davis; fourteen grandchildren, Akiko Cokonougher, Amelia (Danny) Calhoun, Yasuyo (Philip) Samuels, William (Clarissa) Cokonougher, Scott (Shellie) Brill, Karen Leisure, Tina (Monte) Miller, Carletta (Steve) Garringer, Robert (Nicole) Davis, Bonnie (Michael West, Sarah (Randy) Dean, Craig, Curtis, and Tracy Cokonougher; thirty three great grandchildren; twenty two great-great grandchildren; four brothers, Lawrence (Linda) Hester, Gary (Bonnie) Hester, Warren (Pam) Hester, and Robert Hester; and four sisters, Mary Kingery, Elizabeth (Bill) Hayden, Janet Jovanovic, and Ruth Cheatwood. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Howard “Bill” Cokonougher in 1984 and Hobert Cassidy in 2002; one great grandchild, Annelaine Davis; two brothers, Harold Hester, Jr. and Dwight Hester; five sisters, Martha Barnhart, Dorothy Watson, Barbara Hester, Fern Tapp, and Violet Stratton. Funeral service will be 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 13 at the Murray-Fettro Funeral Home in Greenfield with Pastor David Wayne officiating. Burial will follow in the South Salem Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to www.murrayfettro.com "