Memorial
Viola Koster, 94, of Marion, passed away Sunday, November 3, 2019 at Bickford Cottage in Marion. Services will be held Friday, November 8, 2019, 11:00 am, at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories. Visitation will be held Thursday, November 7, 2019, 5-7 pm at the Chapel of Memories Stateroom. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
Viola (Kinnaman) Koster was born on September 15, 1925 to Lee “Guy” and Letha Kinnaman, in Alma, Nebraska. She grew up in a large household with several brothers and sisters in Nebraska. One of her passions was playing trumpet, starting young, she won awards in high school, and continued in Iowa regional groups including the Eastern Iowa Brass and New Horizons bands. She enjoyed teaching, beginning in a one-room schoolhouse, and concluding at Kirkwood with Master Gardener classes. She wrote columns in various publications on horticulture, and managed the garden center at Bezdek’s for over 30 years. She was known as the “Garden Lady” in the Cedar Rapids area. She will be missed dearly by her family, and friends.
She is survived by daughters Annora McDougall of Cedar Rapids, and Loretta (William Schmidt) Koster of Houston, Texas; grandson, Ian Koster, and a grand cat, Jack.
Viola was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond, her parents, and her brothers and sisters.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Bickford Cottage, Marion, Iowa.