Viola Esther Martin

1917 - 2012  (94 years)

• Name	Viola Esther Martin
  Birth	3 Dec 1917	Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA
  	Viola Esther Martin in the U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 Name: Viola Esther Martin Baptism Age: 1 Event Type: Baptism Birth Date: 1918 Baptism Date: 20 Apr 1919 Baptism Place: Fresno, California, USA Church: Westminster Presbyterian Church Father: L. J. Martin Mother: Velma Martin Viola E Martin in the California Birth Index, 1905-1995 Name: Viola E Martin Birth Date: 3 Dec 1917 Gender: Female Mother's Maiden Name: Harding Birth County: Los Angeles
  Gender	Female
  Death	14 Aug 2012	Blythe, Riverside, CA
  	Viola E. Mecum in the U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current Name: Viola E. Mecum Death Age: 94 Birth Date: 3 Dec 1917 Residence Place: Blythe, California Death Date: 14 Aug 2012 Death Place: Blythe, California Viola E Mecum in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 Name: Viola E Mecum Social Security Number: 559-01-7674 Birth Date: 3 Dec 1917 Issue Year: Before 1951 Issue State: California Death Date: 14 Aug 2012
  Burial	Altadena, Los Angeles, CA
  	Viola Esther Mecum in the U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Name: Viola Esther Mecum Birth Date: 3 Dec 1917 Birth Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America Death Date: 14 Aug 2012 Death Place: Catheys Valley, Mariposa County, California, United States of America Cemetery: Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum Burial or Cremation Place: Altadena, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America Has Bio?: Y Father: Leander J Martin Mother: Velma Alzina Martin Spouse: Vernon Clair Mecum Children: Virginia Diane Floyd Findagrave.com Viola Esther Martin Mecum (Ref photo of Viola attached to this website.) Birth: Dec. 3, 1917 Pasadena Los Angeles County California, USA Death: Aug. 14, 2012 Blythe Riverside County California, USA Burial: Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum Altadena Los Angeles County California, USA Maintained by: Susan Mecum Originally Created by: Sharla Record added: Aug 24, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 95876748
  Person ID	I33347	Drollinger Genealogy
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2020

  
  

  Father	Leander J. Martin,   b. 4 Apr 1888, Barnes, Washington, KS d. 6 Feb 1969, La Jolla, San Diego, CA (Age 80 years)
  Mother	Velma Alzina Harding,   b. 19 Oct 1891, Canville, Neosho, KS d. 16 Apr 1982, Stockton, San Joaquin, CA (Age 90 years)
  Family ID	F5711	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Vernon Clair Mecum,   b. 27 Jul 1914, CA d. 27 Jul 1914, Riverside, Riverside, CA (Age 0 years)
  Family ID	F15970	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Jun 2018

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 3 Dec 1917 - Pasadena, Los Angeles, CA Death - 14 Aug 2012 - Blythe, Riverside, CA Burial - - Altadena, Los Angeles, CA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  
  

• Notes

  Viola Esther Martin-Mecum was a genealogist as well as her daughter,Susan. I had corresponded with Viola back in the days of snail mail. Gordon L. Drollinger Palo Verde Valley Times, Blythe, California Viola Esther (Martin) Mecum, 94, a Blythe resident, passed away on Aug. 14, 2012. She was born Dec. 3, 1917 in Pasadena, Calif. In 1933, the Great Depression caused her parents, Leander and Velma Martin, to move from Pasadena to Blythe with their three daughters, Viola, Winifred (Mansperger), and Ruth (Roberts), first establishing residence on land homesteaded by Velma's parents, William and Viola Harding. Viola's parents farmed in Blythe for many years with their daughters all graduating from Blythe High. The family were members of the Community United Methodist Church in Blythe. Viola attended college in Compton where she met her husband, Vernon Mecum, who later worked as a skilled tool and die machinist/designer. They made their home in Stockton, Calif., where they raised their children; (spouses), Lee (Suzanne), Debbie, Susan (Dan), Genie (Elwin), and Ellen (Preston). Viola has seven grandchildren, Caitlin (Raja), Diana (Mark), Megan (Matt), Paul (Crystal), Philip, Hannah (deceased 1990); and Michael (Lysa). Her beloved "Joe" was killed in 2008. Viola also leaves behind five great grandchildren, Alisia, Victoria, Matthew, Carson, and Chiara. Vernon passed away in Blythe in 1990, and several years later Viola began permanently residing in a house in Blythe her parents built for themselves. Viola loved Blythe and wanted to live here always. She moved to Blythe as a teenager and her heart never left this wonderful community. Viola's interests were "rock hounding" with gem and mineral collecting, and lapidary. She was a voracious reader who traveled worldwide and throughout the USA. She also developed a passion for genealogy and in 2010, Viola and Susan published a Mecum and Martin family history book, tracing their family's American linage to the Mayflower. Viola was a DAR member. Like many of her generation, Viola was a progressive modernist who ardently believed in equal rights and opportunity for women. She was very independent, believed in advanced education, and strove to ensure that each of her children and grandchildren could attend college. She was a thoughtful and caring mother who took pride in her children's accomplishments, sustaining her family for over seventy years. Services for Viola will be held Aug. 30, 2012, at Mountain View Cemetery, 2400 N. Fair Oaks Ave, Altadena, Calif. at 11 a.m. for our gathering, remembrances, and farewells. Internment services will be at noon. Velma Martin in the U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 Name: Velma Martin Gender: Female Spouse: L. J. Martin Child: Viola Esther Martin