Viola Mae Christman

Our beloved

Mom and Nana passed away peacefully on

June 16, 2019. A native of Missouri City, Missouri, Viola was born Viola Mae Lincoln and was one of four children born to Harry Ross Lincoln. The family moved to Nemaha, Nebraska and it was there she eloped at age 18 to Kansas with Denzil Shiveley. Together they had three children, James, Ruth, and Denzil Jr. The family eventually settled in Albuquerque, NM where they were involved in several business ventures including a Drive Inn Restaurant and the Skyline Nightclub, a popular nightclub in the fifties on Albuquerque’s west Mesa. The couple was also real estate brokers and Denzil served as the County Road Superintendent. The family owned a large residential complex on East Silver St in Albuquerque where they had a number of tenants including members of the Albuquerque Dukes Baseball Team. The family was very involved with the Dukes and Viola would host a large chicken fry for the team after the end of each season. Viola also hosted some spirited poker games with the members of the team and was known for her card playing skills and would often bluff her way to a win much to the chagrin of the players. Their son James Ross was a batboy for the team and upon his death in 2015, Viola donated his uniform for display to the Albuquerque Museum.

Viola remarried in 1971 to Albert Townsend, a pilot and air traffic controller. Together they traveled the country in his plane and eventually bought and worked a farm near Estancia, NM. It was there she developed a passion for creating ceramics with elaborate rock work designs.

After Albert’s death in 1977, Viola eventually moved to El Paso, TX in order to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren. She married Irvin Christman in 1981 and together they enjoyed their retirement years traveling the country in their motorhome and were members of The Good Sams Group. They also enjoyed a summer home in Ruidoso, NM and it was there they enjoyed fishing, golfing, and playing at the casino. They enjoyed entertaining friends and family at their home with a lot of bbq dinners and fun poker games.

Viola was an excellent seamstress and was never afraid to try new interests and hobbies such as aviation, ceramics, and golf. She is preceded in death by her husband Irvin "Chris" Christman, and her two sons Denzil Shiveley Jr. and Dr. James R. Shiveley. She is survived by her daughter Ruth Colwell and her husband Jim, grandson Doug Johnson and his wife Sandy, granddaughter Susan Johnson, great grandson Royce Slawson and his wife Michelle, and great great grandson Axel Slawson.

While we will miss her daily physical presence in our lives, we are forever grateful for a lifetime of laughter, wisdom, love and memories.

Rest in peace Mom and Nana, we love you.