VIOLA B. RAFFERTY

There are some who bring a light so great to the world, that even after they have gone the light remains.

Our beloved Viola B. Rafferty has gone home to be with Our Father in heaven. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 14, 2022.

Viola was born on May 1, 1935, in the city of San Antonio, Texas. In her circle of family and loved ones, she was affectionately referred to as Vi or Grammy. She was a devoted daughter of Everett and Dolores Guerrero, sister to Sylvia Navarro, Julian Guerrero, Theodoro Guerrero, Evelia Rivera, Paul Rios and Edward Guerrero.

Viola was the devoted wife to Robert R. Rafferty and mother to their five children, Ronald Rafferty, Michael Rafferty (Diana Rafferty), Dorothy DesBrisay (Stephen DesBrisay), Timothy Rafferty, and Robin Ariola (Ernest Ariola Jr.).

Viola was a wonderful grandmother to seven grandchildren, Jason Geeo (Dawna Geeo), Nicole Geeo (Jonathan Youmans), Jacob Geeo, Read Rafferty, Ian Rafferty, Brice Rafferty, Ernest Ariola III (Trey) (Andrea Ariola), Daniel Ariola (Sui Thi Ariola), and a great-grandmother to three grandchildren, Austin Youmans, Daphne Youmans, and Kara Geeo.

In her youth, she would perform dance routines with her sister, Sylvia through the San Antonio recreational program and shared her love of dance with her children.

She attended San Antonio Vocational and Technical School, Class of 1952, and then San Antonio College. Viola’s years of being a popular cheerleader in high school and college translated in her dedication to her family. She continued to cheer on her loved ones to reach their full potential

May 1, 1935 - January 14, 2022

in achieving their dreams throughout their lives together. Viola was an army officer’s wife who maintained an active volunteer life while raising five children and traveling the world. Viola made it a point to share her love for dance with her children. She also taught her five children the love of travel, food, art, and life.

As a close-knit military family, the Roving Rafferty’s traveled the world moving to various stations where Robert was sent to serve his country. These stations included military bases in Texas, Georgia, Germany, Hawaii, Virginia, Italy, and Kentucky. At a later point, they finally settled back in Texas. Wherever Viola went, if there was something needed in the community, she would find a way to make it happen. She volunteered her time to many worthy causes. In San Antonio, Texas, she volunteered at the Brooke Army Medical Center “burn clinic” and did substitute teaching at the local schools. In Berlin, Germany, Viola helped to start a nursery, was active in fundraising activities to buy equipment for the German American schools and supplies for German orphanages and was chairman of the American Woman’s Club.

In Hawaii, she became the Army’s unofficial “greeting girl” for young wives (35 in 7 months) of men who were coming from her husband’s company in DaNang, Vietnam to Hawaii for some R&R, coordinating their stay and became a one-woman “aloha” chairman for these young couples. In recognition of her tireless efforts, Viola was nominated by The Waiting Wives Club for Hawaii’s Army Wife of the Year. In Italy, she directed a lunch program at the Verona American school and volunteered consistently at the Red Cross school clinic while making sure all her children were given every opportunity to explore as many countries in Europe as they could during their 3-year tour. In Taylor, Texas, she owned “The Fabric Store” and put her years of perfecting her seamstress skill into a successful custom dressmaking business called ‘Special Selections’. She was also an integral part of the senior community running the Senior center and the “Meals On Wheels” program.

Viola was the queen of creating a “feels like home” environment wherever they were stationed and was renowned for efficiently packing up an entire home and then unpacking it in record time. She led by example on how to quickly adapt to your new surroundings and community by getting involved and making new friends that last a lifetime.

She touched so many lives, and we will miss her, but we know we will see her again. For now, Rest In Peace Vi/Mom/ Grammy, we will take it from here.

This was written by her only granddaughter Nicole and captures the true essence of Viola. It’s hard to accurately describe what it is to be the only granddaughter of Viola B. Rafferty.

It’s character-building the absolute least.

She was often wildly inappropriate, consistently opinionated, and unapologetic about it. She was often the one who would say out loud what everyone was thinking but wouldn’t say. She was strikingly beautiful, graceful, and classy at the same time. She was tiny but mighty. She was fiercely loving and protective but would also call you out on your shit. So many of the pictures of the two of us we are cracking up laughing because she is in fact pinching my butt and telling me how firm it is. She once told me to wear tall heels and short skirts for as long as I could, because one day I would have vertigo. Her unapologetic laughter will ring in my ears for the rest of my life.

Heaven has gained a beautifully spicy ghost pepper.