Person:Violet Reynolds (3)

Daughter-in-law: Person:Vickie McCurry (1) Great-grandson: Person: Zacharia Medaugh (1) High school friend: Person: Fern Goodwin (1) Possible attending physician at her birth: Person: Joshua Stayner (2) Minister at West Union Christian Church: Person: Ellsworth Stopher (1) Venedocia neighbor: Thomas "Dewey" Diss Person: Thomas Diss (1) Friends: Margaret Scott and Robert Hunziker

Obituary

VIOLET LENORE REYNOLDS ASHTON passed away at 4:43 p.m., Thursday, October 5, 2017, at State of the Heart Hospice in Wayne Healthcare, Greenville, Darke Co., Ohio where she had been hospitalized since September 26th. She was 101 years, 11 months and 25 days old.

Violet was the last surviving child of Edward “Possum” Reynolds (1888-1985) and Emma “Gladys” Savidge Reynolds (1894-1972). The third of their seven children, Violet was born on October 10, 1915 in Spencer Twp., Allen Co., and grew up on her family's farm on Kill Road. She attended the Book School; graduated from Spencerville High School in 1933; and was a member of the West Union Christian Church.

On October 12, 1935 Violet married Paul Vernon Ashton, son of Charles S. and Nellie Seslar Ashton, and was married for over 66 years before Paul's death on April 14, 2002. They were the parents of two children: Ruby Pauline Medaugh (1937-2009) and Charles Edward Ashton who survives.

Violet and Paul moved to Venedocia in Van Wert Co. in 1940 and joined the Salem Presbyterian Church in 1946. At the age of 95 Violet chose to leave her home and move into an assisted living apartment at Roselawn Manor in Spencerville – a decision that she never regretted and where she treasured her friendships with residents and staff.

She was a former employee of the Van Wert County Farm Bureau and worked at elevators in Venedocia, Elgin and Ohio City. After Paul retired from the Buckeye Pipeline in 1972 he and Violet enjoyed their winters at the Yost Trailer Park in Ruskin, Florida.

Violet was a quiet, gentle, friendly, kind, unassuming, frugal, industrious and honorable woman. She grew up in a musical family and played the harmonica and mouth harp. Like her mother and sisters she was an excellent cook and baker. Violet was a particular housekeeper who, among other tidy habits, liked her beds made, her dishes washed and her windows clean. She was a good steward of her household and balanced her checkbook, manually, into her 90's. She was quick to laugh – often at herself – and was fun to be around. She lived a content life with her husband with whom she was well-matched. She was a patient, loving and steadfast caregiver and loyal friend. Violet was a woman with many talents who served her family, friends, church and community in countless ways. She enjoyed her friendships with young and old alike and remained close with many friends and relatives. In the face of adversity she exhibited a quiet strength, and prayed. When age and infirmities took away everything else, her faith endured.

rmc

Violet with cousin, Virginia Savidge, c 1920

Violet with siblings, cousins & Grandpa & Grandma Savidge, c 1923

Violet c 1925

Violet and siblings c 1928

Paul & Violet, 1934

Ashton family gathering c 1940

Violet with her grandmother Savidge & other relatives

Paul on his bike with Violet

Violet's 1933 graduation photo

Marie, Violet & Florence Ashton, sisters-in-law

Nettie's female descendants

Friends & later sisters-in-laws, Pauline Ashton & Violet, c 1933

Violet with Paul, Ruby Pauline & Fanny the dog c 1939 on the D. John Breese farm

Ashton reunion, Venedocia, 1998

Violet with brother, Roy, & great-aunt, Minnie Louth, c 1919

Violet c 1919

Paul & Violet, wedding dinner

Wedding announcement

Violet with Ruby Pauline c 1940. Photo possibly taken at Sand Lake in Michigan

Violet, Paul, Ruby Pauline & Chuck with Paul's niece

Violet in "Ms. Yost Trailer Park" contest, 1988

Violet playing her harmonica, 1988

Janice, Ruby, Violet & Ruby Pauline

Paul & Violet on the backyard swing

Visiting DC with Violet's parents

Birthday party at Savidge

Hat & Ted's 50th

Phyl's poem to Violet Ashton & Ruby Jones

Violet's high school graduation photo

Violet with Ruby Pauline at the "Little House"

c 1942

Sisters: Ruby, Lela, Doris & Violet, 1956

Sisters Violet & Ruby in front of the "Little House"

Ashton gathering in Venedocia

Paul & Violet, 1972

Fort Wayne, Indiana, c 1934

1955. Jonathan Medaugh, Ruby Medaugh, Violet Ashton, Gladys Reynolds, Nettie Savidge

Violet with older brother, Roy, 1995

1995 in Yost Trailer Park. Paul, Violet, Wanda & Roy Reynolds, Vena Kill (wife of Vern)

Earliest known photo of Violet, 1916 (baby on mother's lap)

1971

1996

1991

1991

1963

Aug 2003

Violet's certificate of birth

1935 marriage certificate

Book School, abt 1921

Violet with sister, Ruby Jones, and her daughter

Violet with female relatives of Nettie Louth Savidge

c 1919, Violet (sitting next to her mother in front) with Grandma Savidge, Great-Grandma Louth, Ruby & Roy, aunts and cousin Virginia Savidge (baby)

Violet in an undated Docialite production, c 1945

1986

1992

1999

Jan 1999. Violet, sister-in-law Betty Reynolds (Gail's wife), and sister, Ruby Jones at Ruby's house

Jul 2005. "Gangsta" Violet with Chuck in background

Jan 1999. Siblings Violet and Merle

Jan 1999. Siblings and spouses celebrating Ruby's birthday

2004. Violet wearing a hat

Mother's Day 2003

Family

1998. 63rd anniversary

1998. Violet's 84th birthday. With John Medaugh and Peggy Hunziker

Feb 2008. Violet with neice Janice Jones and sister Lela Barnes

Jan 2000. Ruby's 88th birthday

Aug 1999 following burial of sister-in-law, Florence Ashton

Apr 2002 after Paul's funeral

Paul and Violet's first travel trailer

Violet with her sister, Lela Barnes, niece Janice Jones and great-niece Amy Reynolds, Summer of 2008

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Reynolds, Violet Lenore, in Ohio, United States. Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003
   10 Oct 1915.

   Violet Lenore Reynolds, b. 10 Oct 1915, Spencer Township, Allen County, Ohio, d/o Edward Reynolds & Gladys Savidge.

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Ashton, Violet Reynolds. Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Recollections.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Rebekah.

   Per Kim at Van Wert Co. Recorder's Office: Otto J. & Leona Wheeler owned "Little House." House transferred by Quit Claim on 1 Mar 1940.

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Ashton, Violet Reynolds. Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Recollections
   13 Nov 2010.

   Violet recalled that her father allowed her to raise a pig and she was allowed to keep the proceeds when it was sold at market. This was quite generous because money was so scarce during the Depression.

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Collection.

   VLA's Little Black Book, high school diploma, etc.

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Reynolds, Violet Lenore, in Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Birth Certificate.
7. ↑ Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Tax Returns - 1956.
8. ↑ Ashton, Paul & Violet Reynolds - Marriage Certificate
   12 Oct 1935.

   Although the marriage license lists Violet's residence as Spencerville, Ohio, RC believes that she was still living in her childhood home on Kill Road, outside of Spencerville, in Spencer Township.