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Viola Eason |
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Born: 08 Oct 1917, Johnston County, NC Died:
10 May 1999, Garner, Wake County, NC
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Viola (no middle name) Eason was the fourth child born to
John
Bryant Eason (b. 10 Sep 1883, d. 16 Sep 1946) and
Ida Griswold
(b. 20 May 1892, d. 06 Nov 1972). Viola was born 08 Oct
1917 in Johnston County, NC. [Viola told her daughter
Carolyn that she had always heard her father called John
Bryant Eason even though some historical records list him as
John Bryson Eason.] |
Johnston County, NC |
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John Bryant Eason and Ida Griswold had 6 children. |
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Children of John Bryant Eason and Ida Griswold |
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Spouse |
Effie Eason |
27 Oct 1911
Johnston Co, NC |
01 Feb 1913
Johnston Co, NC |
[Died in Infancy] |
William Welton
Eason, Sr. |
23 Aug 1913
Johnston Co, NC |
01 Mar 2006
Johnston Co, NC |
Leslie Hazel
Parrish
m. 26 Dec 1936 |
Naomi
Eason |
27 Oct
1915
Johnston Co, NC |
12 May
1983
Johnston Co, NC |
Alton
Brooks Whitley
m. 14 Mar 1936 |
Viola Eason |
08 Oct 1917
Johnston Co, NC |
10 May 1999
Garner, Wake Co, NC |
Albert Sidney Weeks
m./ 01 Apr 1941 |
John Bryant Eason, Jr. |
09 Jun 1921
Johnston Co, NC |
26 Jan 1997
Raleigh, Wake Co, NC |
Mary Louise Allen
m. 01 Oct 1946 |
James Carolyn Eason |
31 May 1928
Johnston Co, NC |
14 Mar 2007
NC |
Coneta Earl Daniels
m. 03 Jul 1948 |
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Viola with two of her Aunts and several
Siblings |
Welton Eason, Naomi Eason, Ethel Griswold, J.B. Eason Jr, Mae
Griswold, Viola Eason |
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School Pictures of Viola
(Left) 1st Grade, (Right) About 5th Grade |
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9th Grade, 15 years old |
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The 1930 Census shows John Bryant Eason, his wife Ida, and their
five children living in the Wilder Township of Johnston County,
NC. Viola's age was listed as 10, but since she was born in
1917 she would have actually been 12. Brother Carolyn's
name was incorrectly listed as Carlson and brother William Welton was incorrectly listed as Walter. Brother John
Bryson Eason, Jr., went by the nickname "J.B." his entire life. |
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1930 Johnston County, NC, Census |
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Name |
Relation |
Home |
Sex |
Race |
Age |
S
M
W |
Age
1st
Md. |
Can
Read
Write |
Birth |
Trade |
Last |
First |
Own
Rent |
Eason |
J. Bryant |
Head |
O |
M |
W |
47 |
M |
27 |
Yes |
NC |
Farm |
----- |
Ida |
Wife |
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F |
W |
38 |
M |
18 |
Yes |
NC |
Home |
----- |
Walter |
Son |
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M |
W |
14 |
S |
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Yes |
NC |
Home |
----- |
Naomi |
Dau |
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F |
W |
12 |
S |
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Yes |
NC |
Home |
----- |
Viola |
Dau |
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F |
W |
10 |
S |
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Yes |
NC |
Home |
----- |
J.B. |
Son |
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M |
W |
7 |
S |
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NC |
Home |
----- |
Carlson |
Son |
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M |
W |
1 |
S |
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NC |
Home |
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Viola graduated from Wendell High School in
1936 |
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Principal & Geometry Teacher, Mr E. T. Boyette; English Teacher,
Maude Ratledge
Viola is standing second row from the back - 3rd person from the
right |
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Viola's nickname was "Gruff"
and she was active in the 4-H Club and Glee Club |
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Viola, Mae Griswold and Naomi Eason |
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Viola - 1938 |
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Viola at the State Capital in Raleigh, NC |
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Viola in 1939 at White Lake, NC, 21-years-old |
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Viola enjoys the cats at the Eason homeplace |
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One of Viola's first jobs was as an aide at Dorothea Dix
Hospital. She was not there very long, however. |
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Viola was employed with Southern Bell in her early career and
eventually retired from the N.C. Department of Administration in
Raleigh, NC, as a switchboard operator. |
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Viola in the snow at the Raleigh State Capital in 1939 |
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Viola with her parents and siblings
Naomi Eason Whitley,
J.B. Jr., Ida, Welton, James Carolyn, John Bryant, and Viola |
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(From the back of the photo)
"Viola Weeks and
Crettie Hocutt before Al & I got Married, 1940" |
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Viola met
Albert
"Al" Sidney Barnes Weeks (b. 25 Dec 1904, d. 21 Jun
1960) at The Old Union Grill, 301 W. Martin Street in Raleigh,
NC. [It later became Warren's Restaurant and then
eventually Joe's Place.] Al was an Assistant Manager at
the grill and when she went to pay for her meal, he slipped her
a piece of paper with his name and phone number on it.
Viola later told her daughter Carolyn that she didn't normally
respond to something like that, but this time she did. She
and Al started seeing each other and married shortly afterwards. |
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The Old Union Grill / Warren's Restaurant / Joe's Place (2002) |
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Al was the son of James Henry Weeks (b. 23 May 1851, d. 29 Mar
1926) and Mattie Byrn Harrell (b. 01 Aug 1880, d. 08 Aug 1924) |
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(Left) Viola Eason, (Right) Albert Sidney Barnes Weeks |
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Viola and Al were married on 01 Apr 1941 in Johnston County, NC. |
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Al
and Viola, 1940 |
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Al
and Viola at the John Bryant Eason Homeplace |
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Al
& Viola with Lucille Perry Woodward (left) at Carolina Beach, NC |
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Al
& Viola, standing, with Viola's brother, J.B. Eason, and his
wife, Louise |
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(Left Photo) Al & Viola, standing, with Viola's brother, J.B.
Eason, and his wife, Louise |
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Viola and Al visited her brother Welton Eason and his family in
Lakeland, Florida, in 1943
and also visited St. Augustine, Florida |
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Viola with Lila Ward, Mildred Atkins and MavisdAtkin at
Lakeland, Florida |
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Viola's 10-year anniversary with the telephone company in
Raleigh, NC |
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Viola (Center) with Mandy, Christine, Marie and "Unknown" |
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Even though Al and Viola married in 1941, they didn't have
children until many years later. They had attempted to
have children and had given up. Their marriage finally produced
two. Carolyn Janet Weeks was born 15 May 1952 and
Sidney Stuart Weeks was born 13 Feb 1954. |
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Carolyn and Sidney |
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1956:
Viola, Sid, Al, Carolyn,
"Mama" Ida Eason, Elaine Eason (in high chair) |
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1956: Viola with Carolyn & Sidney |
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May1957_IdaGriswoldEasonsBirthdayDinner |
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(Left to Right) Coneta Eason, Naomi Whitley, Carolyn Eason,
Linda Whitley, Welton Eason,
Ida Griswold Eason, Al Weeks, Charles Whitley, Hazel Eason,
Needham,
David Eason and Alton Whitley
(Children Left to Right) Elaine Eason, Carolyn Weeks, JoAnn
Whitley and Sidney Weeks) |
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Albert and Viola were married 19 years when he died 21 Jun
1960, after having been diagnosed 6 months earlier with lung
cancer. (He was a heavy cigarette smoker.) He left behind one
married daughter from his first marriage, Madalene Hardison, who
was a 2nd grade schoolteacher at the time, and from the second
marriage, Carolyn Janet aged 8, and Sidney Stuart aged 6.
Viola was 42 years old at the time of Al's death. |
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Sidney and Carolyn in front of the family home on 201 East
Aycock Street, Raleigh, NC
Carolyn was 7-years-old and Sidney was 5-years-old (1960) |
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Carolyn (age 8) and Sidney (age 6)
June 21, 1960 - after Al's death |
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Viola with Sidney (age 7) and Carolyn (age 9) |
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Viola with Sid - November 1966 |
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Viola with Carolyn - November 1966 |
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(Left) Sid, Viola and Carolyn about 1967
(Right) Carolyn and Viola - Carolyn's High School Graduation in
1970 |
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Viola in 1971 and about 1981 |
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27
Feb 1971 - Viola and Sidney |
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1974 - Sid, Viola and Carolyn |
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(Left) 1977: Viola with granddaughter Beth (Elizabeth Ann
Loftin)
(Right) 1985: Viola with grandchildren Dana and Daniel Weeks |
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Viola with her brothers Welton, Carolyn and J.B. |
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Additional Portraits of Viola |
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As she grew older Viola sold the family home at 201 East Aycock
Street, Raleigh, NC, and bought a townhouse in Garner, NC, at
Georgetowne Manor. |
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Georgetowne Manor, Garner, NC |
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Viola's home was the greyish-blue two-bedroom unit on the left |
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January 1996: Viola with Carolyn |
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(About 1996) Viola with daughter Carolyn (holding Simcha) and grandchildren
Philip & Beth |
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Carolyn remembers: |
"Once or twice before, I had surprised Mother and just "shown
up" on a weekend. I'll always thank God that He led me to go on
one particular Mother's Day weekend. When I got to Garner that
Friday night, Uncle Carolyn (Carl--Mother's brother) and Aunt
Coneta were there. They were checking Mother's blood pressure,
as she sometimes requested. (They just lived a few miles away.)
We had a nice visit and then retired for the night. Around 4:30
am on Saturday morning, Mother had a massive stroke. I heard
her and called 911, who quickly responded, but unfortunately she
died on Monday. Thank you, Lord, for letting me spend that last
evening with her before You called her home!" |
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Viola died 10 May 1999 in Garner, Wake County, NC. |
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Viola's Death Certificate |
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Viola was buried beside Al in Raleigh Memorial Park. |
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Visiting Al & Viola's Home in 2007 |
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Al
& Viola's former home at 201 East Aycock Street, Raleigh, NC,
from 14 Jan 2007 |
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SOURCES: |
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A special thanks to Sid
Weeks for sharing the additional photos of Viola and the family |
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If you have additional information or photos
of Viola Eason Weeks or the Eason or Weeks families,
Please contact me |
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