Viola Isabel (Hartsoe) Halsey, of Conowingo, MD passed away peacefully October 22, 2015 at the age of 95. She was surrounded by family at the Calvert Manor Health Care Center in Rising Sun, MD. Viola was born in Conowingo, MD on February 18, 1920; the daughter of the late Elizabeth (Eller) Hartsoe and Ulysses G. Hartsoe.

As a youngster, Viola loved to visit and spend time with her grandparents, Wiley and Bell Eller who lived on a large farm in Conowingo. While there, she listened to many family stories and became an avid storyteller to her own children.

She remembered living in Hamilton, OH, a major manufacturing city at the time, and hearing the city go silent as it closed down during the Great Depression. She was an original “Rosie the Riveter” female worker during WWII, but because she worked at Elkton’s munitions plant, they were known as the “boom boom” girls.

As a young woman, Viola moved with her family to Pennsylvania where she met and married her husband Ed. They eventually returned to Conowingo, bought a farm and built a home on part of her grandparent’s beloved farm. She lived there for 70 plus years and raised five children. As a homemaker she loved and cared for her family and was a member of Porters Grove Baptist Church.

She cherished her time spent with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also loved to cook, crochet, and quilt. Her close friends and family remember her as a funny, sweet and loving person. Her later year’s companion Tony, a large orange tabby cat, misses her dearly.

Viola is survived by her four children, Edward Halsey of Conowingo, MD, Frank Halsey and wife Carol of Rising Sun, MD, Elizabeth Flaharty and husband Lonny of Pace, FL, and Donald Halsey and wife Cyndia, of Wiesbaden, Germany; 12 grandchildren, Diana Washburn, Frank Halsey, Terri Thacker, Robert Strobridge, Melissa Strudgeon, Randall Reeves, Lori Merritt, Larla Halsey and four step grandchildren, Beth Stevens, Chantelle and Christopher Knuycky, and Melanie Flaharty; 12 great grandchildren and four great great grandchild; and a brother Charles and wife Colleen Hartsoe of High Point, NC.

Including her parents, Viola was preceded in death by her loving husband of 63 years, Edward S. Halsey; daughter RuthAnn Reeves, daughter-in-law Alma Halsey; two grandchildren, Ronald and Brenda Halsey and one great grandchild, Chaffin Washburn; two brothers, Paul and Robert Hartsoe; and two sisters, Laura and Ruby Hartsoe.

A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at R.T. Foard Funeral Home, 111 South Queen Street, Rising Sun, MD 21911. A service will be held at 12PM on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at Porters Grove Baptist Church, 478 Connelly Road, Rising Sun, MD 21911, where family and friends may visit beginning at 11AM. Burial will follow at Conowingo Baptist Cemetery. Flowers are welcomed as are memorial contributions payable to the “National Stroke Association” and sent in care of the funeral home. To send condolences, please visit www.rtfoard.com.