Violet Elaine Wickett, age 96 of Laurel, Nebraska died on Friday, October 23, 2020 at the Park View Haven Nursing Home in Coleridge, Nebraska.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Thursday, October 29, 2020 at the United Methodist Church in Laurel, Nebraska with Pastor Darren Timberlake officiating. Burial will be in the Laurel Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday, at church, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Masks and social distancing will be required for the visitation and funeral. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Laurel, Nebraska.
Pallbearers will be Gary Kavanaugh, Ryan McCoy, Tyler McCoy, Shane Vondrak, Kevin Wacher, and David Wickett.
Honorary pallbearers will be Violet’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Violet Elaine Wickett was born on April 23, 1924 in Dixon, NE to Gustaf and Elin (Kvick) Carlson. Violet graduated from Dixon High School, attended Wayne State College for two years and earned a one-room school teaching certificate. She married Keith William Wickett on November 4, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia and lived in Pensacola, Florida where Keith was stationed while serving as an aviator in the United States Navy. They returned to the Laurel area upon the end of Keith’s service commission, where they farmed until November 1956. They moved their family to Washington State. Violet earned her Bachelor’s Degree and later earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Violet taught second grade early in her teaching career, switching to teaching Art for middle-school aged children later in her career.
Violet was a member of the United Methodist Church and was also a member of the church choir. She was a vocal soloist for many years. Keith and Violet served as Youth Group Leaders at the Marine View Methodist Church, Federal Way, Washington, sponsoring many activities and outings with the high school aged youth, including skiing. Violet enjoyed art, creating paintings, pottery, and writing short stories. She taught her children the basic skills of sewing, upholstery, cooking, and jelly making. She designed their house in Federal Way, which further displayed her creative talents, and as a family built it. The house featured a flat butterfly roof, floor to ceiling windows, an open floor plan, and courtyard entry. In 1972, Keith and Violet returned to the Laurel area to farm. Violet continued her creative activities by writing additional short stories for children, publishing a children’s book, and by developing phonetic education materials.
Violet is survived by her sons, Franklin (Pamela) Wickett of Beldon, NE, Donald (Nancy) Wickett of Round Rock, TX; daughter, Deanna (Joe) McCoy of Laurel, Nebraska; grandchildren, April Wickett, Dawn (Chad) Swirczek, Brooke (Calvin) Bouck, James (Laura) Wickett, Kristina (Shane) Vondrak, and Ryan (Celeste) McCoy; 11 great-grandchildren; sisters, Esther Craig of Topeka, KS, Bonnie Green of St. Louis, MO; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gustaf & Elin Carlson; husband, Keith Wickett; grandsons, Philip Hagan Wickett & Todd Hagen Wickett (sons of Donald & Nancy Wickett); brothers, Ernest, Carl, Oscar, and Victor; sister, Ruth Kamrath; parents-in-law, Ruby & Verner Wickett; brothers-in-law, Marvin Wickett, Richard Wickett, Emil Kamrath, William Craig, William Green; sisters-in-law, Donna (Wickett) Carlson, Mabel Carlson, Arlyce Carlson, Shirley Wickett, Jean Wickett, and Rainey Wickett.
