Viola Ghaffouri

Viola Jeanette Ghaffouri, age 87 of W6687 Cty Rd. F Cascade, died at St. Nicholas Hospital on Saturday morning, February 2, 2008. Viola Jeanette was born on November 16, 1920, in Long Prairie, Minnesota, a daughter of the late Julius and Myra Opager. On June 5, 1940, she married Harold Strahl. The couple farmed in Long Prairie until 1951, at which time they moved to Cedar Grove, where Viola was employed for twenty years at the Musebeck Shoe Company. She retired in April 1980, to care for her ailing husband, Harold, who ultimately succumbed to cancer in October of 1980. After 16 years as a widow, she married Danny Ghaffouri on December 4, 1996, in Alexandria, Minnesota, where they made their home until moving back to Cascade in 1999. Viola was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Random Lake. She loved embroidery, books (a voracious reader and music (she played acoustic guitar and the fiddle) and had a wonderful sense of humor. Survivors include her husband, Danny Ghaffouri, her children, Ronald (Betty) Strahl of Sheboygan, Linda (David) Sielaff of Poy Sippi, Susan (the late Henry) Portschy of Oostburg, Pamela (David) TeGrotenhuis of Cedar Grove, James Strahl (special friend Sue) of Sheboygan Falls and Robin (Mary) Strahl of Cascade, thirteen grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, a brother, Theodore Chase of San Pablo, CA. nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her infant son Terry, her brother Henry (Marie) Opager and sister, Margaret (Leslie) Marcyes and son-in-law Henry Portschy. A Funeral service for Viola will be held on Tuesday, February 5, 2008, at 7:00 PM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Random Lake with the Reverend Ned Dorau, officiating. Burial will take place on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at St. Paul Cemetery on Vorpahl Road. Friends may call at the church on Tuesday, from 4:00 PM until the time of the service at 7:00 PM. Online condolences may be e-mailed to wenig@wenigfuneralhome.com A memorial fund has been established for Viola for St. Paul' Lutheran Church The staff of the Wenig Funeral Home in Oostburg is serving the family.