Violet Allen

August 1, 1929 - January 4, 2022

On the afternoon of Tuesday January 4th Violet Allen (n’ee DeShane) passed away joining her beloved husband George, parents and daughter in the eternities. She was surrounded by family and many pets that will miss her presence dearly. Violet was born in Phoenix, Arizona, at 7th Ave and Buckeye Rd in a tent to Milton Garber DeShane and Mary Alice McCleskey on the 1st of August 1929. She was the 4th child of 7 children born to Milt and “Alice.” If you ever met Vi and knew how tough she was, being born in Phoenix outside in the summer means she was forged. Growing up in the Great Depression meant a lot of changes for the family. Shortly after Violet’s birth the family had to sell their property in Phoenix and move to Camp Verde. Milton took on odd jobs of freighting and selling firewood and onyx to feed his family. For certain, the family was poor like the rest of the country, but they had each other and plenty of hard work to get them through it. When Violet’s father received his Great War bonus pay, they moved to Prescott, Arizona where he built a house for his family. Violet told the family often she wanted to go home these past years, and this was the house she was referring to. It was a time of great character development for her which she remembered fondly. Though life in Prescott was not rich as far as money was concerned, growing up in central Arizona had a wealth of experience for Violet. She reminisced on her first Christmas at the Native American Church. Santa gave her an orange and a bag of peanuts. Not much, but coming from a humble and hard life, it was a very memorable Christmas for her. Vi didn’t speak Yavapai and Santa didn’t speak English, but the spirit was real and didn’t truly need words. It would make sense that her children and grandchildren would learn of the intangible meaning of Christmas. Violet and her siblings had to make their shoes last so they would walk barefoot to school and put them back on when they arrived. In relating this to her children, Barbara and Cheryl noted when they complained about walking to school, Violet added 12 feet of snow to the story. Regardless, the DeShane children always had enough food and a roof over their heads. Additionally, they also had enough to share with those less fortunate, which they did without hesitation. Even though they had a home, the nomadic nature of the family work endured. Continuing to live at times in tents, when construction took the whole family all over the state including new children when they arrived. They lived on the banks of the Colorado River, then back again to Camp Verde, Bylass, Flagstaff and Tempe. Never was Violet from her daddy’s side. Her tenure working with her father included hunting, fishing, digging wells, and caring for just about any kind of farm animal they could get their hands on. She loved being with her dad Milton. She is remembered as saying “anything my daddy told me to do I would do.” In the last week before she stopped speaking, she thought she was gathering chickens, checking on other stock and saying aloud “I did it daddy, I did it.” The value of hard work and pulling up her sleeves was integral to Violet. Whatever was necessary she did and made sure it was done. When her father was hospitalized with appendicitis, Violet and her sister in-law became garbage collectors in Prescott to maintain his contracts. When her children and grandchildren struggled with a task, nothing could stop her sleeves from being rolled up and the example set for taking charge and doing it herself. In 1954 Violet met and married George Elwood Allen, a 4th generation native of Mesa. He melted her heart with his blue eyes and wavy blond hair. George adopted Barbara Ann and Milton William, in 1956, Violet’s children from a previous marriage. Together, Violet and George brought to the family two more children Mary Alice in 1955 and Cheryl Lynn in 1957. Violet was a character larger than life though her stature was barely 5 feet. Many made the mistake of thinking this tiny woman couldn’t handle herself. She was replete with the hardy western philosophy, and the sassy humor that comes from being raised in the rich cultures and bustle of the American Southwest. She was known as the spirit that would take in lost animals, feed more children than her own, and never back down when she thought she was right. We all have heard there is the wrong way and Vi’s way to do anything, otherwise known as “My way or the highway.” If that finger was pointed at you during that ultimatum, you could feel the weight of your decision. Most would call what she had good ole western “grit.” Violet attended many churches in the places she had lived with her family including Salvation Army, the Native American church boarding their property, Church of Christ and others. She had never heard of a “Mormon” but since George was of that faith she jumped in with both feet. She was baptized in 1956 in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1958 Violet and George bought a house in Scottsdale surrounded by cotton fields, a dairy and lots of empty fields near McDowell and Hayden. Their respective families thought they had gone crazy. $11,500 for 30 years sounded crazy to the families, they had made a big mistake. But George and Violet and the kids managed and as of Violet’s death she still lived in her Scottsdale home. A home known well to all their family and friends. It carried no tolls for admission; however, none could leave without a hug, a full belly, and perhaps a sarcastic opinion or most often a story from times past. To this day, that little house on Belleview has had the same phone number for the past 63 years. On occasion, her travels took her abroad, she and George went to American Samoa, Fiji, San Juan, Puerto Rico and the islands of the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska. She snorkeled, sailed and went to a fire walking demonstration. She loved it, but like her daddy, the copper fire sunsets of Arizona would always call her home. She liked to travel but always wanted to go home. Violet was very active in her church callings, being camp director for Scottsdale Stake. Everyone remembers “mamma bear.” Violet helped out in many ways like construction of the new Stake House, librarian, and Sunday School teacher. She offered herself at the Scout Pueblo as the victim for lifesaving merit badges. This was easy for her as she couldn’t swim. She also was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. Violet had a green thumb. Barbara and Cheryl swear she could take a stick and make it grow. As with plants, so with pets, for Violet had an affinity for animals. Her caring and nurturing heart was one to never turn down homing a lost dog, cat, turtle, bird, etc. On many occasions, cats would show up finding the home a safe haven to have kittens, or Vi would venture out with her grandson Spencer and find herself elbow deep in a muddy hole to rescue a litter of puppies. Not one day in her memory did she live without a dog. At her death she had 3 dogs, an African Spurred Tortoise, 2 house cats. Plants and pets weren’t her only interests. She could repair cars, install toilets, lay tiles, install doors, no limits, she would figure it out. Violet also liked to collect small items, any cute little carving, miniature or old thing she kept, especially if it was old. Violet rarely threw anything away, she might need it someday. When the grandkids started arriving, and then the great grandkids she believed were each born just for her. Stern and strict as a parent shifted to a different set of rules with grandchildren. The kids frequently went with Gramma and Aunt Alice on trips or sleepovers. The grand and great grandkids were all talking about getting to sleep with gramma, one of their favorite experiences. Up to her last day she invited the kids to hop up and take a nap. Children that spent any time with her loved her. Violet imprinted on each and every one of them, with her passing leaving a space missing within their hearts. Violet was the grandmother chasing the kids with a squirt gun, climbing up a hill, riding a bicycle or nailing something together, changing a transmission or rebuilding a 58 Apache pick-up truck. Violet had many names given to her by family members. Purple, Qtip, Eboyka, Violent, grams, gramma and gram. Violet had such an impact on her grandchildren, Barbara’s children began to create a “Grambo” comic strip about the exploits of a shotgun wielding, plant-toting superhero with white hair in a skirt. Gramma had a hand in raising just about anyone in the family, related or otherwise. No doubt any friend of the grandchildren referred to her as gramma. Violet went to work at Digital Equipment for a time when George retired as a tester in the clean room, then as a gun-toting security guard. Bored with the prospect of slow shifts working security she got her GED in her 60’s. In 1993, Violet lost the love of her life George to bone cancer. Soon after, breast cancer made a bold attempt on Violet’s life - but it didn’t have a chance, not the first or second time. She beat it with grace and went right back to being what she herself described as “mean, ornery, nasty and cantankerous.” Alice’s husband Patrick took a job in Washington DC with U.S Mint and moved the family there. It is well known the closeness Violet felt with her children, so once to twice a year, she packed up her van and made the trek from Arizona to the east coast to stay with Pat and Alice. Those trips were made sometimes by her lonesome, but sometimes with a grandchild, but always with at least one dog and perhaps a cat. Alice and her children moved back to Arizona after the passing of Alice’s husband Patrick in 2005. Violet mourned his loss as she considered Pat her own son. Alice was very ill so Violet cared for her, continuing to go strong driving Alice about her appointments fighting to keep her with the family. Sadly, in 2019, another blow to Violet's heart was struck with the passing of Alice due to her illness. During the last 7 months of her life she was in the care of Hospice of the Valley. Without exception her nurses, aides and doctors loved her strength and how funny she could be. She was determined to live by her own rules and she voiced them loudly. Violet didn’t want help, she felt she didn’’t need it, but if one of the nurses wanted to hear a story or talk about her collections or especially her pets they were her best friend. Violet will certainly be missed by her surviving family, friends and pets.. Her sister, Fern Hanes of Buckeye, children Barbara Miller of Mesa, Milton Allen (Sharon) of Cody, Wyoming, Cheryl Cohen (Yigael) of Chandler, 14 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 9 great great grandchildren. We are as a family happy that she has joined her mom and dad, her brothers and sisters, and especially her husband and daughter. We, her family, are sad she is gone and that the children too young to know her as we have known her have missed the opportunity. Her passion for life, gusto, energy and love for her family will live in all of us.