Obituary of Viola "Vi" Georgeson

Viola (Vi) Georgeson, 75, from Columbia, SC, passed away on Sunday, August 23, 2020 at Prisma Richland Medical Center. A funeral service will be held on Monday, August 31, 2020 at 10:00 AM at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, 3600 Devine St. Columbia, SC 29205. Interment will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2020 in Vernes Lutheran Church Cemetery, 29961 320th St. McIntosh, MN 56556.

Viola Marlys Syverson was born on September 4, 1944 in Fosston, MN, to the late Theodore and Linda (Christianson) Syverson. She was baptized and confirmed at Vernes Lutheran Church. Vi graduated from McIntosh High School. Vi moved to Fargo, ND to attend business school, where she met Richard (Rich) Georgeson. Vi and Rich were united in marriage on May 15, 1965 at St Anthony of Padua in Fargo, where they made their first home. They moved to Hillsboro, ND where they raised their two daughters, Pamela (Pam) and Mary. Together, Vi, Pam and Mary were baptized at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Hillsboro. Vi and Rich spent many years as snowbirds in their RV escaping ND winters to be near the grandbabies. They wintered in Little Rock, AR, Las Vegas, NV and Columbia, SC. In 2015, they sold their home and rental property in Hillsboro to become Yankees in the South and settled in Columbia, SC, two blocks from their grandbabies. Vi enjoyed her vegetable garden and would spend hours canning tomatoes and green beans each summer. She loved coffee (HOT), ice cream, brownies and her favorite was to combine brownies, hot fudge, ice cream and nuts into a sundae. She spent hours decorating for Christmas and many dollars shopping for new decorations the day after Christmas. Vi passed away surrounded in the love of her family. She was strong willed and was able to defeat any sickness that came her way, except Dementia/Alzheimer’s.

Vi is survived by her husband, Rich Georgeson, daughters Pam Georgeson of Brookhaven, GA, and Mary (beloved son, Douglas) Deveney of Columbia, SC; grandchildren Shea Deveney of Easley, SC, Kelsy Deveney of Columbia, SC and Ethan Deveney of Columbia, SC. Also surviving are siblings Ardell Opdahl, Entrip (Sharon) Syverson, Bernice Voxland, Gloria (Mark) Morque, sisters-in-law Delores Syverson, Conne Syverson, Corky Syverson, brother-in-law Morris Hendrickson, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Vi was preceded in death by her siblings, Floyd Syverson, Verna Syverson, Lorraine and Rueben Brekke, Ruby and Curtis Heideman, infant twins Morris and Doris, Eleanora Hendrickson, Arnold Syverson and Karsten Syverson; brothers-in-laws: Jerome Voxland and Lloyd Opdahl.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s http://act.alz.org/goto/InHonorOfMama2020 or directly to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Honorary Pallbearer’s are Nephews: Clay Syverson, Daniel ‘Booner’ Syverson, Gerry Syverson, and Michael Georgeson and adopted sons ‘the boys’: Michaell Hubbard and Brian Metham.

The family would like to thank The Blake for caring for “the mama” since May 2020, Right at Home for their caregivers and Prisma Health Richland Hospital. 

Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn is assisting the family.