Eunice Viola Presley

Eunice Viola Finney Presley, age 94, of Bentonville, Ark., passed away on Sunday, March 24, 2013. The funeral service will be at Bentonville Nazarene Church, her church home, Thursday at 11 a.m. with Pastor Mark Snodgrass officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 10 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Epting Funeral Home of Bentonville. Viola was born in Tuskegee, Okla., on April 25, 1918. Her family moved to Tulsa, then eventually to Shamrock, Okla., where she spent most of her girlhood. Her Mama died when Viola was 11 years old, leaving Viola and her beloved Papa to continue raising her six brothers and sisters to adulthood. Viola had to leave school at 11 years old to care for her family and was able to keep this small family together during the worst years of the Great Depression while her Papa looked for work. They eventually moved to Eucha, Okla., then to Hiwasse Ark., where, as Viola put it, they ran wild through the woods and had wonderful, death-defying adventures. She delighted in telling all her family members the stories of her youth and made her stories come to life for five generations of children. Viola was married to Paul Kelton Presley on April 11, 1939. They met at a local carnival dance and fell in love at first sight. They shared 20 years of marriage, four children and many adventures before Paul died in 1960. After moving from Arkansas to California to Colorado and then back to Bentonville, they bought 40 acres of property where Viola lived and raised her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Viola was a housewife and mother until her husband died, then worked on her farm until she got a job working at Bates Memorial Hospital in the kitchens. At the age of 60, determined to get a promotion at work, Viola took and passed her GED which is truly remarkable since she had been out of traditional schools since the age of 11. She retired from Bates Memorial at the age of 65, proud of her accomplishments. Viola found her church home of over 60 years at Bentonville Nazarene Church when the entire family was baptized. Viola has been a faithful and loving member and had the distinction of being the oldest member of the congregation. Viola firmly believed that she was put here to help others and during her long life has helped countless scores of family members as well as charities. Her hobby was sewing and quilting and she has donated innumerable bags, bibs, clothing and quilts to the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter. In the last months of her life, she made over 70 baby quilts and donated them to Samaritan House in Rogers. Her other great love was gardening and she was blessed with a green thumb. Her flower gardens drew the attention of all, with car loads of people from Bentonville driving by her home just to get a look at her gardens. She was known as "The Flower Lady" for many years. Her greatest gift, though, was as a loving caregiver. Viola is preceded in death by her husband, Paul; brothers Elery, Gerald, James and Albert Finney; her sister, Bessie Finney Smith; her daughter, Betty Jean Presley Crabtree; her son, Larry Brent Presley; and grandson, Paul Presley. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Diane Presley, Alan and Kay Presley and Martha Presley; her sister, Dorothy Smith; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Bentonville Nazarene Church Hope Fund. Condolences: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.