Violet Marie Ashland Stolzenburg was born November 14, 1916 at Minneapolis , Minnesota to Stephen Ashland and Cassel (Paul) Ashland (Farmer). Violet moved to Clyde , Kansas area with her mother, brother George and sister Lillian after her father died from the deadly flu epidemic in 1920. He is buried at Huffman , Minnesota . Violets dad's family sent them money to come to Clyde and live with them.

Growing up on a farm Violet knew what hard work was. She and her brother worked in the fields shocking wheat and oats. They also weeded and shucked corn and they cut the stocks with a horse drawn cutter. Violet also talked about having to herd the cows and milking them, taking care of the calves and harnessing the horses.

Violet attended 3 rural schools, these being Joines School (Dist 14) north of Clyde, The Bunton School west of Clifton and The Twin Mounds School south of Ames . Violet graduated 8 ^th grade from Joines School . It was at their home north of Clyde that her family became acquainted with the Rupe and Stolzenburg families and they became good friends as the children all went to school together north of Clyde .

Violet married Harry Stolzenburg on March 17, 1937 at Concordia , Kansas . To this union four sons and two daughters were born, Ronald, Mary, Dennis, Steve, Nancy and Mike. In their early married years Violet and Harry did custom cutting going to the Dakotas . When the children became school age, they quit custom cutting and purchased the Ames State Bank from Ernest and Elsie Goernant in Ames and this is where they made their home. At this time Harry started working for Vannie Crouse and opened a repair shop at Clyde , where Violet did the bookwork for him. She traveled many miles to various towns and spent several hours on the road going after parts for him.

Violet continued her hard work after she was married and raising a family. She always had a huge garden and had several fruit trees. Violet spent many hours canning and putting up produce for her family. She loved sharing her garden produce with her family and friends. Violet also enjoyed sewing, making many of her own clothes. She made quilts and comforters from the scraps for her children and grandchildren. She also crocheted afghans for them. One year she made the grandchildren teddy bears.

Violet always read and studied her bible and she made sure each of the grandchildren received one.

Violet enjoyed traveling with her husband and family, whether it was out of state or just sightseeing around Kansas it seemed that she always knew of friends living in the many towns they traveled through, no matter what state it was.

Violet parted this life on Thurs., Nov. 3, 2011 at Cloud County Health Center , Concordia , KS at the age of 94.

She leaves behind to mourn her loss of six children, Ronald and wife Linda, Steve and wife Sue, Mike and wife Melissa, all of Clyde, Marry Capper of Ames, Dennis of Salina and Nancy and husband Charles Pacey of Miltonvale, 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Violet was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harry, a son-in-law Kenneth Capper, daughter-in-law Betty Stolzenburg, a grandson, one brother and one sister.

The funeral will be held at 1:30 PM, Mon., Nov. 7, 2011 at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia with Rev. Russell Sizemore officiating and the burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery at Clyde , Kansas . Visitation will be held from 12-8 PM with family greeting friends from 4-6 PM, Sun. Nov. 6, 2011 at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. Casket bearers were Jeff Stolzenburg, Kevin Capper, Keith Capper, DelRay Capper, Brian Stolzenburg, Curtis Pacey & Kely Stolzenburg.

Memorials will be made to the Clyde Ambulance fund or the Park Villa Nursing Home.