Viola Elizabeth Nelson Wagner, age 100, of Brookings, passed away Friday, January 24, 2020, at the United Living Community. Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:00 P.M. Friday, January 31, 2020, at St. Thomas More Parish in Brookings with a private family burial at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitations will be 4-7 P.M. Thursday, January 30, 2020, at Eidsness Funeral Home with a Liturgical Wake Service starting at 7:00 P.M.

Viola E. Wagner was born on July 20, 1919, in DeSmet, South Dakota the daughter of Anton and Theresa (Fecht) Langmeyer.

Viola attended rural school in Kingsbury County and moved to Brookings County in 1935, at the age of 15. She was united in marriage to Alvin B. Nelson on December 27, 1941. After their marriage, the couple farmed in Trenton Township for 48 years. Alvin died on March 14, 1989, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She married George "Dale" Wagner on February 14, 1990, in Palco, Kansas.

She was an active member of St. Thomas More Catholic Parish, serving as a catechism teacher, active guild member, and Catholic Daughters of America. She was also active in Extension Homemakers, local craft club "Do More Hobbyettes", VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, and was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

Viola was an ambitious hard worker and instilled that principle in each and every one of her children. Faith and religion were of utmost importance to her. She enjoyed her friends as well as dancing, card playing, country and western music, gardening, bird watching, and listening to the radio.

Survivors include her husband George "Dale" Wagner; her children, Jerry Nelson, Theresa (David) Van Briesen, Jo Peterson, Linda (Terry) Swartos, Toni Hill, Julie Anderson, Annabel Foster, Alonzo "Bing" Nelson, and Lana (Marc) Molskness; step children, Barb (Doug) Holzkamp, George Wagner, Al (Cindee) Wagner, and Maggie Wagner; 36 grandchildren; 66 great-grandchildren; 31 great-great-grandchildren; 8 step grandchildren; 12 step great-grandchildren; and sisters: Arlene Larson and Virginia Billet. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Alvin Nelson in 1989; son, Rodney Nelson in 1993; granddaughter, Dawn Nelson in 1994; grandsons, Patrick Smith in 2008 and Danny Joe Nelson in 2008; great-great grandson, Samuel Murray in 2017; brother Andy Langmeyer Jr.; sisters, Jeanette Waage, Berneda Scroggins, and Mary Collins; and son-in-law, Rod Hill in 2016.