Viola Whiting Helton: Obituary

Viola Whiting Helton

September 21, 1919 – December 28, 2018

Viola Whiting Helton, age 99, originally from Buford, GA passed away peacefully on Thursday night, December 27, 2018 while living with her daughter and son-in-law in Dahlonega, GA. She was preceded in death by her husband, Millard Roosevelt Helton and all 5 of her siblings; brothers, J.C. Whiting, Elbert Whiting, Jr and sisters, Louise Garrett, Margie Trammell and Jessie Black. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Linda Louise Helton Butterworth, Burbank, CA and Shirley Ann Helton Lothridge with son-in-law William Jerry Lothridge, Dahlonega GA,; Grandchildren, Darla Louise Lothridge Sosby, John Virgil (wife Jamie McGuire) Butterworth, Melody Ann Lothridge and William Evans (wife Megan Griffin) Butterworth; Great-Grandchildren, William Blake (wife Kaitlyn Polar) Sosby, Whitney Erin Little, Sarah Elizabeth Butterworth, Rebecca Clarke Butterworth and Isabelle Faith Butterworth; Brother-in-law, William Martin Helton lll (wife Rita Langford) of Clermont, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mrs. Helton was born September 21, 1919 in Buford, GA to Elbert Lee Edward Whiting and Cora Mae Dean Maddox. She was married to Millard in 1936. Viola, known to most as “Nanny”, was a homemaker and caregiver to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and worked at her husband’s tv shop (Helton & Langford Television Sales & Service) on College Avenue in Gainesville, GA and later in the reservations office wearing many hats as well as a yogi bear costume at her son-in-law’s RV Camp Resort in Cleveland, GA (formally Mountain Shadows Jellystone Park now Mountain Lakes Resort) for many years. Viola loved spending time with family, word finds, reading her bible, watching daytime soap operas and game shows, receiving mail, playing cards and reminiscing about her life while eating chocolate and strawberry ice cream. In a crowd, she was sassy and made us all laugh no matter what her mood. Viola will be remembered as a bright, shining star in various communities and was full of life and fire until the very end. She will be loved and remembered forever by her family.

Viola will be buried next to her husband at Memorial Park Cemetery on Wednesday, January, 2nd around noon with an informal gathering at graveside.
Family, friends, and others whose lives Viola touched are invited to a memorial and celebration of life service at Mountain Laurel Farm (where she lived for many years), 91 Heartland Dr. Cleveland, GA, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, January 6, 2019, to celebrate, reminisce, grieve, and support each other.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.dahlonegafuneralhome.com