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EASON
GENEALOGY
LINE

Carolyn
Janet
Weeks

(1952 - 20??)

Viola
Eason

(1917 - 1999)


John
Bryant
Eason

(1883 - 1946)

John
Wesley
Eason

(1847 - 1897)

Avera
Eason

(1805 - 18??)

Elisha
Eason

(1780 - 18??)

John
Eason
(1760 - 1???)

Abner
Eason
(1735 - 1???)

George
Eason
(1715 - 1774)

William
Eason, Jr.
(1650 - 1718)

William
Eason
(16?? - 1???)

Edward
Eason
(1??? - 1???)


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FAMILY
NAMES

WEEKS:
Cobb
Van
Weeks


HARRELL:
Harrell
King

EASON:
Avera
Eason
Liles
Medlin

GRISWOLD:
Dodd
Exum
Griswold
Hocutt
O'Neil
Tomlinson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Viola Eason

 

Born: 08 Oct 1917, Johnston County, NC
Died: 10 May 1999, Garner, Wake County, NC 

 

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

     
 
 
John Bryant Eason and Ida Griswold had 6 children.
 
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
 
 

 

Viola with two of her Aunts and several Siblings

Welton Eason, Naomi Eason, Ethel Griswold, J.B. Eason Jr, Mae Griswold, Viola Eason

 
 
 

School Pictures of Viola
(Left) 1st Grade, (Right) About 5th Grade

   

 

9th Grade, 15 years old

 
 
 
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.
 

1930 Johnston County, NC, Census

 
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   F W 38 M 18 Yes NC Home
----- Walter Son   M W 14 S   Yes NC Home
----- Naomi Dau   F W 12 S   Yes NC Home
----- Viola Dau   F W 10 S   Yes NC Home
----- J.B. Son   M W 7 S     NC Home
----- Carlson Son   M W 1 S     NC Home
 
 
 

Viola graduated from Wendell High School in 1936

Principal & Geometry Teacher, Mr E. T. Boyette; English Teacher, Maude Ratledge
Viola is standing second row from the back - 3rd person from the right

 
 

Viola's nickname was "Gruff"
and she was active in the 4-H Club and Glee Club

 
 
 

Viola, Mae Griswold and Naomi Eason

 
 

Viola - 1938

 

Viola at the State Capital in Raleigh, NC

 
 

Viola in 1939 at White Lake, NC,   21-years-old

  

 

 

Viola enjoys the cats at the Eason homeplace

 

 
 
 
One of Viola's first jobs was as an aide at Dorothea Dix Hospital.  She was not there very long, however. 
 
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.
 

Viola in the snow at the Raleigh State Capital in 1939

 
 

         

 
 

Viola with her parents and siblings
Naomi Eason Whitley, J.B. Jr., Ida, Welton, James Carolyn, John Bryant, and Viola

 
 
 

(From the back of the photo)
"Viola Weeks and Crettie Hocutt before Al & I got Married, 1940"

 

 
 
 
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.
 

The Old Union Grill / Warren's Restaurant / Joe's Place (2002)

 
 
 
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)
 
 

(Left) Viola Eason, (Right) Albert Sidney Barnes Weeks

   

 
 
 
Viola and Al were married on 01 Apr 1941 in Johnston County, NC.
 
 
 

Al and Viola, 1940

 

 

 

Al and Viola at the John Bryant Eason Homeplace

 
 

Al & Viola with Lucille Perry Woodward (left) at Carolina Beach, NC

 

  

 
 

Al & Viola, standing, with Viola's brother, J.B. Eason, and his wife, Louise

    

(Left Photo) Al & Viola, standing, with Viola's brother, J.B. Eason, and his wife, Louise

 
 

Viola and Al visited her brother Welton Eason and his family in Lakeland, Florida, in 1943
and also visited St. Augustine, Florida

 

 

Viola with Lila Ward, Mildred Atkins and MavisdAtkin at Lakeland, Florida

 
 
 

Viola's 10-year anniversary with the telephone company in Raleigh, NC

 

Viola (Center) with Mandy, Christine, Marie and "Unknown"

 
 
 
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.
 
Children of Albert Sidney Barnes Weeks and Viola Eason
Name Birth Death Spouse
Carolyn Janet Weeks 15 May 1952   Curtis Dean Loftin
Sidney Stuart Weeks 13 Feb 1954   (1) Kristi Wilhelm
(2) Margaret Carol Brazell Smith
 
 

Carolyn and Sidney

      

 
 

1956: Viola, Sid, Al, Carolyn, "Mama" Ida Eason, Elaine Eason (in high chair)

 

1956: Viola with Carolyn & Sidney

 
 

May1957_IdaGriswoldEasonsBirthdayDinner

(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)

 
 
 
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.
 
 
 

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)

 
 
 

Carolyn (age 8) and Sidney (age 6)
June 21, 1960 - after Al's death

 
 

Viola with Sidney (age 7) and Carolyn (age 9)

 
 
 

Viola with Sid - November 1966

 

Viola with Carolyn - November 1966

 
 

(Left) Sid, Viola and Carolyn about 1967
(Right) Carolyn and Viola - Carolyn's High School Graduation in 1970

 

 
 

Viola in 1971 and about 1981

  

 

27 Feb 1971 - Viola and Sidney

 
 

1974 - Sid, Viola and Carolyn

 
 

(Left) 1977: Viola with granddaughter Beth (Elizabeth Ann Loftin)
(Right) 1985: Viola with grandchildren Dana and Daniel Weeks

   

 
 
 

Viola with her brothers Welton, Carolyn and J.B.

 
 
 

Additional Portraits of Viola

  

 
 

  

 
 

 
 
 
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.
 

Georgetowne Manor, Garner, NC

 
 

Viola's home was the greyish-blue two-bedroom unit on the left

 

 
 

January 1996: Viola with Carolyn

 

(About 1996) Viola with daughter Carolyn (holding Simcha) and grandchildren Philip & Beth

 
 
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!"
 
 
 
Viola died 10 May 1999 in Garner, Wake County, NC.
 
 

Viola's Death Certificate

 
 
 
Viola was buried beside Al in Raleigh Memorial Park.
 

 
 
 

Visiting Al & Viola's Home in 2007

 
 

Al & Viola's former home at 201 East Aycock Street, Raleigh, NC, from 14 Jan 2007

 

 
 
 
 

SOURCES:

 

A special thanks to Sid Weeks for sharing the additional photos of Viola and the family

 
 
 

If you have additional information or photos of Viola Eason Weeks or the Eason or Weeks families,
Please contact me