Viola Martha Bergman
Hettinger
Viola Martha Bergman
Hettinger, 86, was born to Maria Goertz Bergman and Cornelius Funk Bergman on
Nov. 23, 1920, in Hillsboro. She spent her first five years living in Hillsboro
with her parents, sisters and many other Mennonite family members in the
community. In 1926, they moved to Newton. While attending high school, she
worked as a tutor, secretary and at a photography studio. She graduated from Newton
High School in 1938. She was a member and was confirmed at the First Mennonite
Church of Newton. From a musical family, she excelled at singing and violin.
From 1939 to 1940, she
attended Emporia State Teachers College in Emporia, majoring in music with the
goal of becoming a teacher. Due to the Depression, she returned to full-time
work with the VanSickle Co. in Emporia. She often would ride the train to
Newton to visit her family and on one of these trips, mistakenly took the seat
of an Army Air Corps private from Kansas City, Jack Hettinger. They exchanged
addresses and even a few frames on his movie camera film documening their first
meeting.
Their writing courtship
continued, with a few furlough dates, becoming engaged in 1943 and married on
Jan. 16, 1944, at First Mennonite Church in Newton. In the spring of 1945, she
was able to move to Ketchikan, Ark., to be near Jack where he was stationed,
working at the Coca Cola Co. and tutoring Metlakatla Indian girls.
After the war, they moved to
Kansas City, Mo., where they proceeded to raise a family. Viola and Jack were
active members at Evangelical United Brethern, Southwest and O.P. Bible, and
Colonial Presbyterian churches in Kansas City. They enjoyed belonging to many
small group fellowships, sang solos and duets, were in many choirs, and
participated in evangelical and missionary support work, and Viola always
enjoyed teaching crafts at summer VBS and helping neighborhood children attend
as well.
She enjoyed sewing and
knitting, and worked in various art media including painting and copper
enameling. She exhibited and was honored many times at the Plaza, Prairie
Village and Westport Art fairs and was a member of many art guilds.
In 1971, they retired to
Littleton, Colo. Viola worked full time for Bryan Publishing Co. and Calvary
Temple Publications in Denver. She enjoyed writing and continued to write many
short stories, poems and family histories. She was active at Bear Creek
Presbyterian, Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian, Calvary Temple and Littleton United
Methodist churches.
In 1978, they served a year
with the Wycliffe Bible Translators in Huntington Beach, Calif. They returned
to Denver, where she continued her artwork, as well as enjoying their mountain
drives, seven grandchildren and trips to visit family and friends in their
remaining years.
After Jack passed away in
2002, Viola returned home to Kansas in 2005, living at Aberdeen Village in
Olathe. She enjoyed a return trip to Hillsboro and Newton last fall, visiting
her family and seeing the Flint Hills.
During this last year, she
enjoyed seeing many family members and friends, familiar places in Kansas City
and attending chapel at Aberdeen Village. Viola was a dedicated and loving
wife, mother and grandmother. She taught us all to care for others rather than
ourselves and encouraged us in our personal faith. She had great fortitude to
continue on in difficult times, and we are glad she is at peace now with the
Lord. We will miss her wry humor, love, support and the spark in her eyes.
She is survived by her
children, Ingrid DuLac of Dania Beach, Fla., Daniel Hettinger of Olathe, Heidi
Blake of Shawnee, and Amy Croissant and husband Michael of Brighton, Colo.;
seven grandchildren, Kate Flock of Roslindale, Mass., Chris Flock of Cambridge,
Mass., Gabriel Crossiant of Brighton, Colo., Jack Croissant of Kersey, Colo.,
Heather Blake Myer of New York City, and Giselle Croissant and Beau Croissant
of Brighton, Colo; and two sisters, Marie Jantz of Newton and Edna Hollasch of
Clarksville, Ind.
Two older brothers, Albert
and Elmer, died in childhood before the three sisters were born.
Visitation will be from 1:30
to 3 p.m. followed by funeral services at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Mount Moriah
& Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road in Kansas City, Mo.
Memorial gifts can be made to
the Mennonite Central Committee Relief Fund, P.O. 235, North Newton, KS 67117.
