Viola Mae Clayton Hankla of Carbondale

Viola Mae Clayton Hankla, 90, passed away Tuesday, May 22, 2018, at Manor Court of Carbondale.

Viola was born May 3, 1928, in Union County to Everett and Pearl (Smith) Clayton. She married Joseph R. Hankla Sept. 16, 1949.

Viola is survived by her loving husband, Joseph; sisters Geraldine Elkins of Marion, Vurtis Duckworth (James) of Perks, Louise Smith Pender (Art) of Anna and Carolyn Bird (Bill) of Jonesboro; brother Jerrie Clayton of Anna; nieces Teresa Althoff, Regina Wilkinson, Julia Milkovick, Pamela Graham, Sonya Jaquet and Ramona Ralls; and nephews Stanley Elkins, Cary Clayton, Brad Duckworth, Thomas Smith and Jeremy Bird.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Loretta Clayton Harris; brother Dennis Everett Clayton; brother-in-law Dennis Harris Jr.; and nephews Fred Leon Harris and Gregory Smith.

She was a member of First United Methodist of Carbondale and the United Methodist Women of Anna, while they lived in Anna after retiring. She was a devoted wife and companion, working beside her husband as a pastor's wife and helpmate on all his work projects, and a homemaker and later caretaker after his stroke.

Funeral services for Viola will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 26, 2018, at First United Methodist Church of Carbondale with the Rev. Alan Rhein, the Rev. John Annable and Elder Keith Joiner officiating. Burial will follow at Anna City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 25 at First United Methodist Church of Carbondale.

The preferred form of remembrance is memorials to First United Methodist Church of Carbondale, Little Grassy Camp, Hispanic Ministries of Cobden or Midwest Mission Distribution Center. Envelopes will be available at the church. Meredith Funeral Home of Carbondale is in charge of arrangements. To leave a memory of Viola, visit meredithfh.com.