Viola L. Staten

STATEN, Viola Luvenia, age 93, of Avon Park, Florida went home to be with her Lord on Friday morning November 13, 2015. She was born on November 28, 1921 in Lakeland FL., the third child to her parents Saint Mark and Bessie Corinne (Campbell) Woodard. She married Ellis C. Giddens (of Avon Park) in 1936 and they raised 6 daughters. Ellis passed away in November 1970. In July 1973, she married Reverend Don Staten, a former, retired Pastor of the Avon Park Church of God (The Sanctuary). He passed away in 1978. She was a great woman of faith, and was a faithful member of the Sanctuary Church of God since moving to Avon Park in 1932. In her 70 years of service to the church, she held various positions, including Sunday School teacher, Children's Church teacher, Family Training Hour teacher, Bus Ministry, Women's Ministries Treasurer and Church Secretary/Treasurer. A vision she had earlier in her life prepared her for the responsibility she would face as church secretary/treasurer. She also served as the church matriarch and a role model for all women. A finer example of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 cannot be found anywhere. She loved her Lord and her family with a passion. While raising her 6 girls, she was primarily a homemaker and nurturer, ensuring her girls were brought up in church. There was always a piano in the home and nothing brought her more joy than listening to her girls play the piano and sing in close harmony. She also loved to work cross word puzzles and play scrabble. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was a joy to be around. She was always smiling or laughing and could always seem to find something good in most every situation and person. In her 93 years, she was never heard to speak an unkind word about anyone. She always looked for the positive. She was very smart and always loved school. She had always regretted quitting school at 15 years old to get married. So, in 1969, while still working full time at Walker Memorial Hospital (now Florida Hospital), she went to night school and completed her high school education, being awarded her GED in 1971 at the age of 50 years old. Her former high school classmates (Avon Park Class of 1940) were always so kind and always included her in their class reunions and outings. Besides being very smart, she was an extremely generous, kind, loving, caring, humble, and gentle person. She not only exemplified the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31, but also the "Fruits of the Spirit" described in Galatians 5:22-23 and the "Love Is" attributes (traits) described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. On October 19, 2003, the church, with Pastor Ron Zimmer officiating, held a special "Viola Staten" day to honor and celebrate her on her retirement and awarded her a vacation trip. (The special speaker that day was her son-in-law, Rev. Ray Johns who had known her since he was a small boy growing up in Avon Park. He spoke on the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians, relating each one of the "fruits" to characteristics she possessed.) On September 30, 2012, with Pastor Jeff Holt officiating, they again honored her when the church dedicated the church fellowship hall as "Staten Hall". On Mother's Day 2014, Pastor Holt had her read to the congregation a speech she had written and given to the ladies of the church 25 years earlier. The speech is entitled "The Golden Years". In January 2015 when the church celebrated its 95th anniversary, Pastor Holt again honored her as not only the oldest living member but also the longest established member of the church. Her influence extended beyond her family and the church and into the community as she worked at various positions at Walker Memorial Hospital (now Florida Hospital), The Hitching Post (making her delicious biscuits), The Canning Plant and The Sanctuary Preschool and Day Care. She was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands, her older brother Franklin Woodard, her older sister Elsie Scott and two granddaughters, Lisa (Langford) Venable 2001, and Cindy (Coleman) Gregory 2003. She is survived by her six daughters; Judy (James deceased 2007) Coleman of Lake City FL, Barbara (Jim) Langford of Charleston TN., Pat (Ray) Johns of Lake City FL., Shirley (B.F. deceased 1995) Coleman of Bryceville FL., Carole (Paul) Beck of Kissimmee, FL., and June (Gary) Durham of Avon Park and her sister Thelma Anderson of Sebring, FL. She has 16 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, 40 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces to cherish her loving memory. Visitation will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 at the Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home in Avon Park. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at The Sanctuary Church of God in Avon Park with Pastor Jeff Holt, Rev. Lonnie Johns and Rev. Ray Johns officiating. Burial will take place at Bougainvillea Cemetery, Avon Park.