Viola Mae Herndon, 89, Republic, formerly of Springfield, died peacefully at home on January 20, 2016.

Visitation will be 1-2 p.m. on January 23 at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home and funeral services will be held immediately after from 2-3 p.m.

She was born on October 22, 1926, to Olga Verna (McNeal) and Emmit Robert Jenkins in Springfield, MO. Vi graduated from Central High School in Springfield in 1944. She was a member of the Kiltie Drum and Bugle Corps. This corps was the first all-female Scottish pipe and drum corps in the country.

After high school Vi graduated from St. John's Hospital School of Nursing in Springfield. Following that she completed a pediatric rotation at St. Louis City Hospital in St. Louis, MO. Vi married Beverly Allen Herndon Jr. on June 9, 1946. He preceded her in death in December of 2011.

Vi worked at several hospitals as an R.N. and retired in 1986 after working many years for Springfield dermatologist Dr. Ernest Lorenc.

In retirement Vi and her husband Bev enjoyed traveling and spending time with their family. She was an excellent cook, enjoyed trying to new recipes, and was a skilled knitter. In recent years she loved to watch her westerns and also sports -- especially her Kansas Jayhawks.

Survivors include daughters Sandra (John) Mason, Mt. Vernon; Susan Holland, Republic; Sharon Graham (Anthea Scouffas), Lawrence, KS; grandchildren Robert Lamb, Seattle, WA; Katharine Holland, Duncan, OK; step-grandchildren Mike Mason, Dillingham, AK and David Mason, Springfield; and step-great-grandson Alexander (Andrea) Mason, McKinney, TX.  Special thanks, too, go to her caretakers Anya Wheeler and Harriett Rodgers, and also to the staff at Hospice Compassus.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Hospice Compassus, 1465 E. Primrose St., Springfield, MO 65804.