May 30, 2012  

LOWVILLE, N.Y.  —  Viola B. Vary, 88, formerly of Brookside Senior Living Community, died Tuesday evening, May 29, at Lewis County Residential Healthcare Facility where she had resided since May 2009.

Born Sept. 16, 1923 in Copenhagen, a daughter of Dewey A. and Mary Ferrance Bickford, she attended the one room South Champion Country School on Route 12 and graduated from Copenhagen Central School in 1939. She rode the first school bus Copenhagen ever had. 

She married Mason Vary Jr. on Sept. 20, 1941, in the Copenhagen First Methodist Church with the Rev. Charles Martin officiating. Mr. Vary passed away October 30, 2003. They were married for 62 years.

Viola was Copenhagen village clerk and treasurer for 17 years, 1957 to 1974.  She was town clerk of Denmark from 1962to 1968, Copenhagen Central School tax collector, and part=time typist from 1972 to 1982. She retired in 1982.

Mrs. Vary as a faithful member of the Copenhagen Methodist Church and later the United Church of Copenhagen and the Lowville Methodist Church after their move to Brookside in 1996. Viola was a member of Floyd Lyng American Legion Post 723 Auxiliary and a 50 year plus member of the Rural Letter Carrier Auxiliary in which she held State and Lewis County offices.  

She was a past member of the North Country Swingers and was one of the first volunteers for Lewis County Hospice.

Viola and Mace spent winters in Auburndale, Fla., for six years before moving to Brookside in 1996.  

She was a compassionate friend and neighbor to many and was known for her pies and homemade rolls as well as her gift of knitting baby sweaters and hats. Her life has been a great example of Christian values and unwavering faith in God and service to the Lord.

Surviving are two daughters and their husbands, Nancy and Albert Roberts, Watertown, and Suzanne and Michael)Anderson, Port Republic, Md.; a son and his wife, Roger and Sandra Vary, Lowville; eight grandchildren, David Roberts, Dennis Roberts, Victoria Brownell, Kenneth M. Vary, Renee Vary, Nathan Vary, Matthew Whitehurst, Jessica Whitehurst; nine great-grandchildren, Chelsa Roberts, Maylyn Roberts, Kellyn Roberts, Curtis Roberts, Jordan Roberts, Steven Langridge, Christi Villamarin, Chelsey Langridge, Senobia Brooks; and two great- great-grandchildren, Alexander and Joseph Villamarin; a sister, Cecelia Hebert; a sister-in-law, Mary VandeWalker; and nieces, nephews and cousins.  

She was predeceased by a son, Kenneth, who passed away Sept. 16, 2008, and a brother, Chester, who died March 21, 2005.

A funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2, at Iseneker Funeral Home, Inc., Lowville, with Rev. Beth O’Neil, pastor of Lowville United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow the funeral service in the Riverside Cemetery, Copenhagen. Calling hours are 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 1, at the funeral home.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Activities Department at Lewis County Residential Healthcare Facility, 7785 N. State Street, Lowville, NY  13367, or to the Mason Vary Scholarship Fund, c/o Copenhagen Central School, Copenhagen, NY  13626.

Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com.





Information provided by Iseneker Funeral Home of Lowville and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.