Viola Eleanor Schwein, 96, died June 25 at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, Great Bend, where she had been a resident for the last 6 ½ years. She was born Dec. 28, 1915, at Hoisington, the daughter of Fred  and Anna  (Herdt) Schneider.
She grew up in Barton County, attended District 62 to the 8th grade. She was baptized and confirmed at the Schneider Church in Barton County. On Dec. 29, 1935 she was united in marriage to Paul Schwein at Trinity Bender Hill Lutheran Church, rural Russell. To this union two daughters were born, Loene and Dixie. They shared over 69 years of marriage together. Paul preceded her in death on July 13, 2005. After their marriage they moved to the Schneider family farm in northern Barton County.
Viola was a farmwife. She loved to sew and quilt and cleaned homes for many people. She also enjoyed spending time with her family. They moved to Russell in 1979. They enjoyed polka dancing and took many trips. She belonged to St. John Lutheran Church in Russell. She was a former member of Prairie Mates E.H.U., Russell hospital auxiliary, and Elizabeth Circle from the church.
She is survived by two daughters Loene Karst and her husband Clinton, Hoisington, and Dixie Hughes and her husband Glen, Great Bend; five grandchildren, Curtis Karst, Great Bend, Colleen Karst and her husband Joe Hines, West Palm Beach, Fla., Craig Karst and his wife Amy, Hoisington, Jeff Hughes, Olathe, and Jason Hughes and his wife Barbara, Topeka; seven great-grandchildren, Amber and Ally Jo Karst, and  Cody, Taylor, Bethany, Jackson and Tristan Hughes; and many nieces and nephews and many friends.
Viola was preceded in death by a sister Dollie Strecker and four brothers Harold, Ferdinand, Victor and Alvin Schneider.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell. Interment will be in the Russell City Cemetery, Russell. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral  Home, Hoisington, and from 1 p.m. until service time Thursday at the church, with family present from 6-8 p.m. Prayer service will be at 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials are suggest to St. John Lutheran Church, Kans for Kids or the donor’s choice, all in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home **
P.O. Box 146
Hoisington, KS 67544
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 26, 2012