Obituary of Viola Seibel

Viola Seibel of Lodi passed away in Lodi on February 24, 2005 at the age of 84. Mrs. Seibel was born on July 12, 1920 to Alec and Emma Merkel in Robinson, North Dakota. At the age of 5, her family moved to Couer D'alene, Idaho for two years and returned to Bowdon, ND. At the age of 13, she met her future husband, Wilbert Seibel; he waited for her for the next five years. They were married when she turned 18 in Fessenden, ND. They left for California the next day. She worked for Mr. & Mrs. George Beckman, taking care of son, Jimmy. In 1939 she started working at Hotel Lodi as a housekeeper and continued working for the Beckmans. Her first fulltime waitress work was at Ruby's Restaurant at School Street. In 1940 Wilbert's cousin, Ruben Reimche owned the business. She also worked at Club Coffee Shop before going back to ND to see relatives. Son, Dennis was born in 1942 in Lodi and Debra was born in 1952 in Lodi. Other places she worked were El Topaz, El Charo in 1950. In 1972 she started work as a cook at Bechthold Convalescent Hospital and retired after 5 years. She is survived by her children, Debra and husband Tom Yearick of Lodi; son, Dennis and wife, Joanne of Lodi; three grandchildren, Brandon, Dustin and Ryan Seibel; one great-granddaughter, Lauren Seibel and one great-grandson, Jeffrey Seibel. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbert Seibel in 1970; brother, Leo Merkel and sister, Olivia Merkel. She was a long-time member of Fairmont Seventh-day Adventist Church. A chapel service will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 AM at Lodi Funeral Home with Pastor Ralph S. Watts, III officiating. Committal will immediately follow at Cherokee Memorial Park. Visitation will begin on Sunday at 1:00 PM until 8:00 PM, continuing Monday, 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM.