Viola Pauley

Viola J. Pauley, 99, died in Jefferson on Oct. 24. She was the widow of James L. Pauley Jr. an attorney in Jefferson and Scranton as well as the Mayor of Jefferson from 1967 to 1971.

Viola was born near Mason City on July 14 1915, the daughter of Joseph A. Lemker and the former Margaret T. Determan. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1934.  She was employed for several years in the drapery department of the Merkel Co., a Mason City department store.

On Sept. 28, 1940 she married her high school sweetheart James L. Pauley Jr. in Mason City following an 8 year friendship and engagement. After Jim graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1940 they moved to Scranton where he began a law practice of 42 years practicing in Greene County except for 3 years during WWII while Jim was in the FBI. In 1946 the family moved to Jefferson where they lived out their lives and served their community. Jim passed away February 19, 2013. The couple was married for 72 years.

Viola and her husband had 2 sons. She collected glassware, enjoyed interior decorating, was and excellent homemaker, beautiful seamstress and wonderful cook. Viola loved sewing for her grandchildren when they were young and she loved her cats. She was an artist who painted many large oil paintings including the one of the 1872 Greene County Court house, which presently hangs in the law office of Robert Hoark.

She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jefferson and the Women’s Guild of the church. She was also a member of the Greene County Hospital Ladies Auxiliary and the Philemon Club at Scranton for more than 50 years.

She is survived by two sons and their wives; James Donald (Martha) Pauley of Clear Lake and Richard (Patricia) Pauley of Jefferson, 5 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and older sister Leona Knutson from Mason City and many other loving family members.

Funeral services will be announced at a later date. Burial of the cremains will be at the Elmwood Cemetery in Mason City.

Memorial may be made to the St. Joseph’s Church or to the Greene County Medical Center Foundation.