Violet Roberta Lang

LANG — Violet Roberta (Stewart), 88; born Oct. 1, 1927, Camaguey, Cuba; died Dec. 21, 2015, Portland, Ore. Surviving: husband, Harold; son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Debbie Lang, Boise, Idaho; son, Gerald Lang, Winter Park, Fla.; daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Paul Howard, Portland; younger sister, Velma Smith, Rogersville, Tenn.; 9 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Violet Roberta Stewart was born Oct. 1, 1927, in Camaguey, Cuba, where her parents, Robert Edger Stewart and Lottie Lippincott Ervin, were missionaries.

When Violet was five years old the family moved to Barranquilla, Columbia, where her father was director of the Atlantic Colombia Mission. Violet did not have many memories of Cuba but she had lots of memories of Colombia. It was here that she started school. When she was eight, the family returned to the United States, first living in Texas. Her family then moved to Collegedale and finally to Madison, Tenn., which was their home for many years.

Violet went back to Collegedale to graduate from academy. She then returned to Madison and completed nursing training in 1949. She also received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Education degree from Washington Missionary College in 1951. She returned to Madison and joined the faculty of the School of Nursing as Clinical Coordinator. Violet went to Walla Walla College for the spring term of 1954 to work on her master's degree. It was here that she met Harold Lang.

Violet Stewart and Harold Lang were married Aug. 28, 1955, in the assembly hall at Madison College. Violet's father performed the ceremony. The couple made their first home in Van Nuys, California. Harold was a research engineer at Rocketdyne. Six months later Harold was drafted into the Army. Violet followed him to San Antonio, Texas where they lived for two years. Their first son Robert was born in Brooke Army Hospital. In 1958 they moved to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, where Harold worked at the Betis Atomic Power Laboratory. It was here that Sharon and Gerald were born.

In 1963 the family moved to Berrien Springs, Mich., where Harold joined the faculty of Andrews University. Except for two years in Ann Arbor, Mich., this was the Lang home until 2004 when Violet and Harold moved to Portland, Ore., to be near their daughter Sharon.

Once her children were born, Violet did not work outside of the home. She worked as a loving caring mother. Her children's friends were always welcome in her home. She was a room mother at school and accompanied the children on their field trips. She volunteered for many other activities. Violet enjoyed camping, hiking and cross-country skiing with her family. When the children were in college Violet went back to work as a nurse in a doctor's office.

Violet was very active in her church, Children's Sabbath School, Adventurers, and Pathfinders. For many years she was an Associate Head Deaconess at the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University, in charge of a team of hostesses.

Violet was buried in Willamette National Cemetery. Violet and Harold were married 60 years. She was preceded in death by her parents and three older siblings; Evelyn, Alvin and Ervin.