Vivian Wilemina (Voigt) Verhalen
Born: January 10, 1915
Marriage: October 17, 1936
Death: December 26, 2004
Father: Adolph August Frederick Voigt
Mother: Hildegard Fischer
Children:
Donald Elden Verhalen (1937 – 1993)
Bruce Anthony Verhalen (1938 – 2008)
Dolores Jean Verhalen Zawalich Edwards (1941 – 2024)
Constance Mae Verhalen Zamber
Mark Thomas Verhalen
Douglas Dean “Duke” Verhalen (1959 – 2000)
About Vivian
When Vivian was about 16, her father owned a tavern. She was there at the bar one day when Walter walked in. Vivian, wanting to look older, was smoking a cigarette (she claims to have only smoked while in the bar), and a conversation ensued with Walter. The rest is history, as they say. I (Kelly) often teased her about being picked up in a bar, to which she would laugh and call me a “little sh*t”. But, most of the time she called me KiKi, even after I was an adult. She and Grandpa were the only ones who called me KiKi as an adult and I absolutely loved it.
We have many photos of Vivian as a young adult. She had a camera and took photos of her family, along with Walter and his family after they met. She always called Walter “Red,” unless she was scolding him. She’d even said that she didn’t know his given name until the day they were married.
Vivian grew up in Wood County, Wisconsin. After marrying Walter, they lived in St. Martins, near Franklin, Wisconsin. From there, they moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin for about 10 years, and then to Dousman, Wisconsin. They eventually retired to Florida, and then relocated to Kansas to live with their daughter Dolores and her husband for their final years.
Rumor has it, Walter’s mother did not want him to marry Vivian, and she faked a heart attack when he mentioned their desire to wed. They decided to conceive their first son prior to being married, as they knew she would not object to the marriage if a baby was involved. Vivian said, “I had a nine-month baby in eight months.” (FindaGrave lists their first son as being born in July, but he was born in June.)
Vivian cared for Walter’s mother during the final years of Olive’s life. She also cared for her own father, Adolph, in his final days. Vivian worked as a nurse’s aide before she retired.
I have many fond memories of Vivian and Walter. Grandma loved to dance and had a very bubbly personality. She loved her children fiercely and would do anything for them. Grandpa was the love of her life, and after his death she lost her will to live. They are buried together in Saint Bruno Parish Cemetery, in Dousman, Wisconsin.
