Viola Victoria Bevard

Viola Victoria “Toots” Bevard, age 95 of Bayard, Nebraska, passed away Wednesday, November 12, 2014 with her family by her side at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Viola was born November 15, 1918 in Stamford, Nebraska to Lawrence A. and Margaret L. (Poehlman) Abbott. Viola was nicknamed, “Toots” at the age of three by her father and was then known as Toots, throughout her lifetime. Toots was united in marriage to Edgar Lynn Bevard on April 13, 1936 in the Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Nebraska and to this union two children were born. Toots and Lynn made their home in Cozad until relocating to Scottsbluff in 1967. Toots resided in Bayard the last several years to be closer to her granddaughter. Toots was a member of the Ladies of the Moose and the First United Methodist Church. Her hobbies included crocheting, sewing, and reading. She held several jobs throughout the years, but her preferred role was that of wife, mother, grandmother, and aunt. Survivors include her son, Bob (Darlene) Bevard of Kearney; daughter, Judy (Orval) Whited of Bayard; three grandchildren, Michelle Bevard of Hilo, HA, Scott Bevard of Kearney, and Holly (Mike) Zier of Bayard; two great grandchildren, Nikki Victoria (Logan) Le Droit of Bayard and Allen Michael Zier of Bayard; two sister-in-laws, Ruth Abbott and Ann Abbott both of Texas; and several nieces and nephews. Preceding Toots in death were her parents; husband, Edgar Lynn; sister, Altra Payton; six brothers, Ernest, Amos, Clarence, Clifford “Kip”, Oren, and Chester. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at the Cozad United Methodist Church in Cozad with Pastor Doug Smith officiating. Burial will follow at the Cozad Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Monday, November 17, 2014 at Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad. Visitation will also be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, November 15, 2014 at the Jolliffe Funeral Home in Bridgeport. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.jolliffefuneral home.com and www.berrymanfuneralhome.com.