Viola O'Connor

Viola Jane O’Connor, age 89, passed away peacefully in her home on Saturday, February 27, 2021 in Austin, MN.

Viola was born on November 18, 1931 in Red Rock Township, Mower County to Verner and Iva (Noffsinger) Harrington.  They moved to a farm near Taopi, MN when she was four years old.  She graduated from LeRoy High School in 1949.  She married Lawrence M. O’Connor on October 20, 1951 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Austin.  She was a homemaker first and foremost.  She worked for Hormel Foods for 36 years, retiring in 1986.  She was a member of St. Augustine Church, the American Legion, the Moose Club, The Elks, and the Eagles Auxiliary.

Viola was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great- grandmother.  She had strong family values and loved her family unconditionally.  Through the years she was actively involved with her children’s, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s lives.  She loved attending their plays, concerts, sporting, club, church, and school programs.  She shared her love for the game of golf with her family, teaching her children how to correctly “swing the club”.  She enjoyed traveling, golf and especially wintering in Arizona with her husband, Larry.  Viola understood and treasured the value of a good friend and maintained many lifelong friendships.  She was adventurous, social, fiercely independent and had a strong wit and sense of humor.  She was very blessed to have lived a long, productive, and happy life and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Viola is survived by six of her eight children, Joseph (Jennifer) of Cape Cod, MA, Nancy (Joe) Rasmussen of Lakeville, MN, Shawn (Brenda), Peggy (Jim) Cummings, Tamara O’Connor of Austin, MN, and Timothy (Barb) of Savage, MN; 18 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Gladys Hertle of Austin.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence; sons, Dennis and Steven; brothers, Leonard, Clifford, Everett, Donald, Verner (Bud), Raymond, two baby brothers; and sister, Evelyn Bell.

Visitation for Viola will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Mayer Funeral Home in Austin.  Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 5, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church with visitation ½ hour prior to the Mass on Friday at St. Augustine Catholic Church.  Father James Steffes will be officiating.  Interment at Calvary Cemetery to follow.