Violet VanLear

Violet Irene Van Lear met her Lord and Savior on July 27, 2017.

Violet was born on September 18, 1920 in Madisonville, Kentucky to Aaron Howard Pinkston and Ada Gertrude (McClellan) Pinkston. She graduated from East High School. Violet earned her Cosmetology License and worked at that vocation for several years. She met Charles Edward Miller and they married on December 19, 1941.  While Charlie was serving with the Ohio 37th Division during World War II, she worked at Goodyear producing air masks for the Corsair Aircarft.  Charlie was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and returned to Akron in September 1945.  They built a home in Brimfield, and had three children.  Violet continued working at Goodyear while she attended Kent Sate University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree. Violet taught third grade at Brimfield Elementary School for 21 years.  After Charlie’s death, she met and married James Davis Van Lear on January 18, 1969.  Upon their retirements, they spent summers in Brimfield and winters in Yuma, Arizona.  After Jake’s death Violet resided in Tallmadge.

Besides her parents, Violet was preceded in death by her two husbands, Charles Edward Miller and James Davis Van Lear.  She outlived her daughter, Melony Kay (Miller, Smith, Torrey) Heyn and her son, Charles Keith Miller.  Violet was also preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, Nina (Pinkston) Shaffer, Glodean (Pinkston) Kamerer, Clementine (Pinkston) Bennett, Coleman Pinkston, Beatress (Pinkston) Timms, Clyde Pinkston and Ray Pinkston.

Violet is survived by her daughter, Gayle (Miller) Savage; grandchildren, Jeffrey Smith and wife Karen, Leigh Regan Collier, Kylie Savage, Charles Edward Miller, II, and Rachel Miller, great grandchildren, MacKenzie Savage, Connor Smith, Jack Cooper, Bayley Cooper, Melina Smith, Zachary Collier, and Whitney Collier; sister in law, Betty Pinkston and Donna Pinkston, and many nieces and nephews.

Violet was a Charter Member of Community Baptist Church of Tallmadge and was a member of Delta Theta Tau Sorority, a philanthropic organization.  She took lessons and became very proficient at china painting.  She loved reading, knitting, crocheting, woodworking, and singing.  She was an avid singer beginning with her father and continuing throughout her life.

Violet was a dedicated mother and teacher.  She had such a positive influence on all who knew her.  She always looked for and found the good in people.  She shared “love pats” and hugs till the very end.  Lucky were the people who received them.

She was so thankful for the loving care and consideration that was shown by the staff of Danbury Woods Senior Living Facility and Cleveland Clinic Akron General Visiting Nurse Service.

Visitation will be 5 until 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave. (On the Historic Tallmadge Circle).

Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, August 3, 2017 at the funeral home with Rev. John Phillips officiating.

Interment will take place at Restland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be mad to Gayle Savage c/o Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Ave., Tallmadge, OH 44278, for the purchase of bricks at Ohio Veterans Memorial Park in Clinton Ohio in honor of family members who have served in the military

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