Viola Dirks, 92, died on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at Northwest Medical Center, CNC Unit, Thief River Falls, MN.

The funeral service will be at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at Abundant Life Lutheran Church with Reverend Wesley Langaas officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Thief River Falls.

Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, March 31, 2006 at the Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M. Visitation will also be at the church for one hour prior to services on Saturday.

Viola Mae Woods was born on October 22, 1913 in Loma, ND, the daughter of Harvery J. and Elizabeth (Brown) Woods. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. At age 3 she moved to a farm by Oslo, MN with her parents and one sister, Myrtle, age 2. Viola lived there, worked hard on the farm and attended Grade School until the age of 15. Then the Woods Family of 5 children moved to Grygla, Hamre Township, and Viola was in her last year of Grade School in 1928. Viola received her GED in 1974 at age 61.

On August 7, 1932 Viola was united in marriage to Frank C. Johnson. The couple operated a farm on Franks Homestead in Hamre Township until 1940 and then bought the Louis Jelle farm and lived there. To this union 2 sons were born, Marvin Frank Johnson, past owner and operator of Northern Insulators of Thief River Falls and Marland Maynard Johnson, past owner and operator of John Deere in Thief River Falls.

September 11, 1955 Viola was united in marriage to Byron Dirks. They worked 1 year on a large turkey farm with 1800 turkeys at Mekinock, ND and that fall they moved to Byrons farm in Benville Township, near Grygla. On September 11, 1956 their son, Martin Byron Dirks was born, on their first anniversary. Following High School Martin attended and graduated from Harvard University in Boston.

In 1968 Viola started employment at Arctic Enterprise, where she worked for near 10 years. They sold the farm at Grygla in 1971 and the family moved to a home Viola had previously purchased at 221 South Knight in Thief River Falls, where she lived until her death. Many know Viola by her ceramic classes she held in her basement shop in her home. She also sold Watkins Products for over 35 years.

Viola was a member of Abundant Life Church in Thief River Falls since 1984. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and V. F. W. Auxiliary of Thief River Falls.

Viola is survived by three sons: Marvin Johnson of Fertile, MN, Marland (Sharon) Johnson of Thief River Falls, MN and Martin Dirks of San Francisco, California; 9 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; and 5 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her two husbands, Frank in 1974 and Byron on October 26, 1983; her parents; two sisters, Florence and Doris in infancy and a sister at age 53, Myrtle Elizabeth Fromm; two brothers: Earl and Walter Woods; grandson, Bruce Allen Johnson; and two sisters-in-law: Bertha Woods and Martha Jane Woods.

Family condolences may be sent by visiting www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

ORGANIST: Bev Kays
SOLOIST: Phil Torgerson
SELECTIONS: In the Garden and What A Friend We Have In Jesus
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS: How Great Thou Art # 32 and Amazing Grace #288
CASKETBEARERS: great grandchildren: Ryan Hermanson, Mitchell Loe, Nick Johnson, Eli Evenson, Erron Evenson, and
HONORARY CASKETEARERS: All of Violas great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren