Viola Linderbaum

Monday, November 7, 2022 1:28 am

Viola Linderbaum, age 89, of Ossian, IA, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, at the Ossian Senior Hospice.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Ossian Lutheran Church, 305 Jessie Street, Ossian, with Rev. David Lenth presiding. Burial will be in the Springfield Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Ossian Lutheran Church, 305 Jessie Street, Ossian, and also after 10 a.m., on Thursday morning at the church.

The Helms Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Viola Lien Linderbaum was born on April 29, 1933, at the Lien farm in rural Springfield Township, Winneshiek Co. Iowa. She was the second child of six born to Elmer and Grace Lien. Viola was baptized, confirmed, and married at Springfield Lutheran Church. She attended the Nerlie School and walked up hill (both ways) to get to school with her lunch packed into a Karo syrup pail. She, along with her sisters reenacted this as a special event later in life. Her dad would pick the kids up with the team of horses named Jip, Charlie and Nancy when the weather was bad. She loved those horses. She often told the story of nearly drowning in the creek that ran through the farm and how she recalled the first day that the farm got electricity. Viola graduated from Calmar High School with the Class of 1951 and gathered with her classmates each year until the pandemic. Viola helped many young mothers in the neighborhood in her teen years. and after high school worked at Syd’s Steakhouse and then became a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell. She was lucky operator number 13. She truly enjoyed that job and remembered many of her coworkers all through the years.

She met her future husband at Art’s Roller Rink near Ossian and married Conley Linderbaum on Feb. 22, 1953. They lived in Decorah for a brief time and then moved to a farm south of Ossian where they lived for the next 43 years. She became a member of Ossian Lutheran Church at that time. Their first child, Dennis was born in December 1953 and followed by daughter Dianne in 1959. Viola was a hard-working farm wife doing any chore that needed doing and could prepare a meal for ten men with 15 minutes notice. She was known for her cinnamon rolls, raised glazed donuts and her grandson’s favorite mashed potatoes. She taught Sunday School and served in the Ladies Aid and WELCA organizations as a member of the Rebekah Circle. In 1996, they held a farm sale and moved to Ossian. They were the third generation to live in the same house as Viola’s grandparents and parents on First Street. After they moved to town, Viola served as the church custodian for many years and enjoyed coffee time with her church friends who lovingly referred to her as “Shortcake”. In 2018, Viola moved to the Ossian Senior Hospice and her recliner became the favorite seat for the staff to come and visit or “vent”. She always knew the latest news and had a sharp memory. Viola became very adept at using the Grandpad, a communication device, invented by her nephew Scott and his son, Isaac, and loved receiving family pictures, playing games, emails, and listening to Alan Jackson on her Grandpad. Viola became a “Grand Advisor” for Grandpad and attended many meetings via Zoom and in person. She was interviewed and appeared on a newscast about Grandpad. She was able to travel to see the Grandpad office in Wabasha Minn., and Scott’s home in September of this year; a trip she enjoyed very much. At the time of her death, she was the oldest living member of Ossian Lutheran Church.

Viola is survived by her son, Dennis (Eileen) Linderbaum and daughter, Dianne (Dave) Ameling, Ossian; four grandchildren, Grant (Angela) Linderbaum; Sara (Derrick) Vagts, Ossian, Iowa; Danielle (John) Chargo, Lisbon, Iowa and Jonathan Ameling, Hanoi Vietnam. Eight great grandchildren, Mitchell, Hanna, and Kennedi Vagts, Brinley, Colton and Kaden Linderbaum, and Clara and Emma Chargo. She is also survived by her sister, Helen Thune, and her brothers, Ray (Aurora) and Harold (Janice) Lien and brother-in-law, Harold Stoen. She is also survived by her sisters-in-laws, Audrey (Virgil) Birdsell and Elaine Knutson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Conley in 2014, her sister, Celia Stoen, and her brother, Robert (Marlys) Lien, brothers-in-law, Howard Knutson and Dean Thune and great granddaughter, Brooke Linderbaum.

Viola will be inurned in a serene spot at Springfield Lutheran Cemetery, rural Decorah Iowa overlooking the farm that she grew up on.