Viola June Kerr of Rochester, Minnesota died at home on January 25, 2022. She was born April 17, 1935 at home on the farm of her parents, Louis and Cora Wall near Central City, Iowa.

Viola was a typical Iowa farm girl, educated in a rural one-room Red School and then Coggon High School, where she learned and loved basketball, especially blocking opponents' shots with her long arms. She graduated from Mercy School of Nursing and worked there several years. She then married John Kerr June 13, 1959, and finally left her home county.

Viola cared for and positively influenced many throughout her life, especially her seven children, and ten grandchildren. Viola's dedication to others is reflected in her practice of nursing and her service as a Mayo Hospice Volunteer. She inspired a multi-generation nursing tradition as her daughter, Karen, and Karen's daughter, Nicole, followed her into nursing. Viola was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church. She greatly enjoyed the company of neighbors and friends.

Viola is survived by her husband, John; children, Daniel (Angela) of Wenatchee, Washington, Debbie (Roy) Aycock of Clayton, North Carolina, Karen (Jeffrey) Bowers of Rochester, Mary (James) Marshall of Jacksonville, Illinois, Jean Kerr of Minnetonka, Kathy Kerr of Minneapolis, and Robert Kerr of Rochester; grandchildren, Marie, Nicole, Jeffrey, Branwen, Rhiannon, Matthew, Rose, Daniel, Lily, and Ava.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Cora (Jepson) Wall; brothers, Floyd, Raymond, Glenn, Albion, and Charles Wall; and sister, Vaneta Kester.

The funeral service for Viola will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 31, 2022 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home, livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nojVEnXyU0U, with visitation one hour prior. Burial will be at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery-Preston, Minnesota.

The family thanks Mayo Transitions and Mayo Hospice for care and compassion in the final days.

Memorials are preferred to Mayo Hospice.