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December 5, 1916 ~ August 30, 2015

Vi was born December 5, 1916 on a farm outside of Pender, Nebraska to Enos and Edith Frederickson. She was the youngest of three children, and the only girl. Her brothers—Em and Hike—were twelve and nine at the time of her birth. Vi spent a very happy childhood on the farm and attended rural school. She skipped two grades prior to entering Pender High School where she graduated in 1933 at the age of sixteen.

Following graduation Vi entered Wayne State Teachers College in Wayne, Nebraska. Tuition, room and board were paid for using money earned from selling eggs and a part time job. After three years, with money running low, Vi took a job teaching in a one-room schoolhouse near her parents’ farm. In three years of teaching she was able to save enough money to allow her to return to Wayne and complete her degree. She returned to Wayne in the fall of 1939 where she met her future husband, Dale, at a college dance. Vi earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1940 with preparation in both Elementary and Secondary Education.

Between 1940 and 1946 Vi taught first and second grade (combined) at Scribner Public Schools, 6th grade at Wayne City Schools, business courses at Wayne High School, and business at Ashland High School. Dale left for service overseas in 1942. When Dale was discharged from the Army, Vi quit so that they could be married.

Vi and Dale began a long and happy marriage February 10, 1946 and moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Their daughter, Dava Lee, was born in January 1947. In the fall of 1949, Vi and Dale purchased a paint, wallpaper and gift shop in Central City, Nebraska. Vi couldn’t stay away from teaching and was persuaded to help establish a business department at Nebraska Central College, a small teachers college in Central City. In 1954, Vi was asked to “help out’ by teaching English at Central City High School. While in Central City, Vi became very involved in the Presbyterian Church, the Legion Auxiliary, PEO, Delta Kappa Gamma and served as Worthy Matron of Eastern Star.

In 1959, Dale was offered a position with Westside High School, so the family moved back to Omaha. That fall Vi began teaching business at Omaha South High School. She remained at South teaching business courses and eventually becoming a counselor until her retirement in 1974.

Vi and Dale’s only grandchild, Dawn Nicole, was born in July 1975 ensuring that she would not have a quiet, uneventful retirement. Vi and Dale enjoyed traveling—seeing most of the continental United States and Hawaii. After Dale retired in 1980 they devoted more time to travel and visited Europe on two occasions. Vi enjoyed traveling and kept extensive journals of each trip.

Vi and Dale were blessed with a long and happy retirement, barely slowing down at all. Vi kept busy with church groups, was active in PEO, Delta Kappa Gamma, Sewing Club, and several bridge groups. She and Dale had a lifelong love of dancing and belonged to a dance club for many years. They hosted countless dinners, cocktail parties, coffees and brunches at their house, especially during the Holiday season.

Vi was an accomplished baker and cook, spending countless hours in the kitchen. Each Christmas, she would bake hundreds of cookies and candies which she would take to friends and neighbors. Vi loved to garden, growing both flowers and vegetables. Much of the summer and early fall was devoted to gardening and canning.

Vi had a lifelong passion for learning and it was not unusual to find her poring over a book or preparing a research paper or presentation. She loved to write and was always sending notes or cards to friends and family.

In 2007, Vi and Dale were blessed with a great-granddaughter, Daley Viva Ione. She was the light of their remaining years. Dale passed in June 2010. He and Vi had been married for 64 years. Although she missed Dale terribly, Vi continued to enjoy activities, baking , cooking and sewing. She chose to remain in their beloved home for as long as she was able. Vi was truly blessed with a long, healthy and exciting life. Definitely a life well lived.

Vi is survived by her daughter Dava and son-in-law, Bruce Hendrickson, her granddaughter Dawn and grandson-in-law, Brad Gibson, her great-granddaughter, Daley Viva Ione Gibson, nieces and her beloved cat, Precious.

Preceded in death by husband, Dale R. Fuerst; parents, Enos and Edith Frederickson; brothers, Hike and Emery Frederickson.

In Loving Memory of Viva N. Fuerst, born December 5, 1916—Pender, Nebraska; Entered Into Rest August 30, 2015—Omaha, Nebraska

Age 98 Years, 8 Months, 25 Days

Funeral Service Thursday, September 3, 2015, 10:30 am, Presbyterian Church of the Cross, 1517 South 114th Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Officiating: Dr. Marshall Zieman, and Rev. Lynda Dinsdale.

Interment: Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska. Following the committal service please join the family for a luncheon at Presbyterian Church of the Cross.

Memorials are suggested to Town & Country Humane Society or Presbyterian Church of the Cross.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak & Cutler in service to the family.

~~~Funeral leaflet (including obituary) courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Leaflets and newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library~~~