Violet Skolte
Violet Skolte, 94, passed away peacefully at the Lakewood Care Center, Staples on October 16, 2022. She was a beloved mother, grandmother and friend.
Visitation will be held Friday, October 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Staples and Sat., Oct. 29 at 10:00 a.m. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Oct. 29 at 11, a.m. followed by lunch at the church.
Interment will be at Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Staples.
Violet was born to Fred and Lorena Beeman on December 13, 1927 in Mercer, Wisconsin, the youngest of nine children. The family later moved to Austin. She graduated from Austin High School in 1947. Her family traveled a great deal during the war because her father was a carpenter on military bases. She graduated a year after her elementary friends. She married Kenneth Skolte in April 1948. Together they farmed near Rose Creek and later moved to Bertha where they raised their family of 12 children. Violet was also employed off the farm at Todd County Public Health as an aide in Long Prairie, worked at Carter Ringer Coat Factory and later at Benson Optical, both in Staples until her retirement in 1986. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, traveling, knitting, sewing, dogs, riding bike, playing piano and painting. She was an avid Bob Ross fan and painted many, many landscape treasures for her family and friends. Her pride and joy was her children and grandchildren. As a mother she will be remembered for making the best caramel rolls and her ability to feed a crowd with limited pantry stock. In her later years, Violet moved to the Redwood Falls/Belview area, where she was a member of the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities. She volunteered at the Redwood County Clothing Shelf and worked part time at Ben Franklin. She enjoyed arts and crafts and dubbed her creations “Stuff and Nonsense.” Violet loved her family and her country. Six of her children, three sons-in-law, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild are serving or have served in the military. She was honored by the Southwest Minnesota State University Veteran’s Club in 2014 for her Meritorious Civilian Support of Veterans. She was active in her retirement, would ride her bike even in the winter months and traveled to Germany to visit family at the age of 89. Her spunky attitude, quick wit and great hugs will be missed by many.
She is survived by 10 children, Jim (Lynette) Skolte of Mora, Elaine (Phill) Martinez of Vacaville, CA, Frank (Joleen) Skolte of Frazee, Keith (Julie) Skolte of Mahtowa, Kathy (Bill) Kokesh of Isanti, Becky (Mark) Lein of Williams, Dan Skolte of Belview, Joe (Linda) Skolte of Lino Lakes, Gail Cannon of Milaca and Cindy (Jim) Zetah of Cushing; 26 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Many, many thanks to the staff at the Manor and Lakewood Care Center for your compassionate care of our mother.
Preceding Violet in death were her parents; brothers and sisters; husband, Ken in 2008; one son, Tim in 2007 and one daughter, Debra in 2021.
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