Viola Anna Kipling

Viola Anna Kipling, age 90 of Ellijay, GA, passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at Fannin Regional Hospital. Mrs. Kipling was born July 18, 1924 in Surprise, NE to the late Theresa and Otto Hoffman. Mrs. Kipling was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Kipling, Jr., a son, Barry Kipling, and her siblings, Arnold, Carl, Erwin Hoffman, and Wilma Hiatt. Mrs. Kipling was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Morganton.
Mrs. Kipling graduated with a two-year degree from Midland College in Fremont, NE and then taught in a one-room school near her home. During WWII, Mrs. Kipling corresponded for three years with her brother-in-law's Army buddy, Cecil Kipling, Jr. of Colchester, IL. Cecil returned to the states in 1945 and the couple was married in August of 1946. The couple moved to Colchester, both teaching in small rural schools. After the birth of two children and after completing Cecil's studies at the University of Nebraska, the couple moved to Vermillion, SD where Cecil was a professor at the University of South Dakota. Mrs. Kipling completed her BS degree at USD. After the birth of another son and several years at home, Mrs. Kipling returned to teaching where she taught remedial reading. The Kiplings retired to Georgia where they have lived since 1989. Viola and Cecil celebrated 66+ years of marriage before Cecil passed away in June of 2013.
Survivors include a daughter, Marsha Kipling; son, Gary (Jane) Kipling; granddaughter, Sarah (Bill) Lightner, granddaughter, Emily (Garner) Agone, and granddaughter, Abby Kipling. The Kiplings also had six great-grandchildren, Kipling, Julia and Caroline Lightner and Grady, Annie and Wesley Agone.

Funeral services were held Saturday, January 10 at 4:00 P.M. at the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home in Blue Ridge, GA with the Pastor J. David Griffin officiating; music was provided by Ida-Anne and Bob Clarke, Ronald Midkiff, Donald Midkiff, and Charles Walls.

The family received friends at the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home of Blue Ridge, Saturday, January 10 from 3:00-4:00 P.M. Memorials can be made to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (8223 Forge Mill Road, Morganton, GA 30560) to support their "Feed the Children" program, a local outreach program for families in the Morganton area.

Henry-Cochran Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.