18 Thursday, June 20, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.comViola “Vi”
Victoria
Johnson, 94,
Battle Creek, MI,
passed away
June 8, 2024,
at University of
Michigan Health-
Sparrow Hospital
in Lansing, MI.
Viola was
born in West
Monroe, LA, to
Garfield and
Viola Johnson on August 21, 1929. She
went to high school at Monroe High
School and graduated as valedictorian in
1946 in Monroe, LA. She went on to earn
a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition
from Southern University in Baton Rouge,
LA. She took her first job with the Veterans
Administration (VA) right of out college in
1952 in dietetic service and served at VA
hospitals in MD, PA and IN before being
named head of dietetic service at the
Battle Creek facility in 1968. In October
1971, she was the first African-American
woman selected for the highly competi-
tive hospital director training program and
was assigned to the VA’s Research Center
in Chicago, Illinois. After a year of train-
ing, she was named assistant director
of the Fayetteville VA Medical Center in
North Carolina. She held the post until
November 1973 when she was assigned
to the VA headquarters in Washington,
D.C. She was named assistant adminis-
trator in May 1976 of Lyons VA Medical
Center in NJ. She was then selected as
director of the Las Vegas, NV outpatient
clinic before accepting the director’s posi-
tion at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center,
where she made history as the first
African-American woman administrator of
a major VA Medical Center, serving from
1984 until retirement in 1989.
Vi believed in giving back and support-
ing her community with her time, talent
and treasures. She had served on several
boards. Some included the United Way,
Battle Creek Civic Theatre, the American
Red Cross, the State’s Advisory Council on
Aging, and she was a lifelong Kiwanian,
the first woman member of the local Battle
Creek Kiwanis Club, serving as a past
president.
A master gardener, her love for the out-
doors showed through her volunteerism
with the Leila Arboretum Society, serving
on the board for many years, and a beauti-
fully landscaped lawn. She enjoyed travel,
a good conversation and healthy debate,
keeping up with current affairs, gardening
and her three beloved pet Schnauzers, all
named Skypper.
An only child, she was preceded in
death by her parents, and grandparents,
Albert and Loretta Theus.
She is survived by cousins Elombe “Lee”
(Timiza) Wagner of Oakland, CA, and
their daughter, Asha (Christie) McNickle-
Wagner of Concord, CA; Ovis Stone
Massey, Cordelia Sims of Las Vegas, NV;
Yvonne Henry of Carson, CA; John Harris
of Baton Rouge, LA; Effie Fort, John Fort
of Stockton, CA; Patsy Bennett, Ida Gantt
and Margaret Madison of Oakland, CA;
and caregiver and long-time family friend,
Lynn Ward Gray.
Visitation will be held from noon to 1
p.m., Monday, June 24, 2024, at Richard
A. Henry Funeral Home, 703 Capital Ave.
SW, Battle Creek, MI, where a memorial
service to celebrate Viola’s life will begin
at 1 p.m. , with Pastor William J. Wyne of
Second Missionary Baptist Church officiat-
ing. The service will be live-streamed and
may be viewed at https://www.henryfuner-
alhome.org/obituaries/viola-johnson.
Memorial donations may be made to the
Viola V. Johnson Fund for Leila Arboretum
Society at the Battle Creek Community
Foundation, 32 W. Michigan Ave., Battle
Creek, MI; or the Kiwanis International
Foundation, a/k/a Kiwanis Children’s
Fund, 3636
Woodview
Trace,
Indianapolis,
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Kelly L. O’Connor 1106 S. Kalamazoo Avenue, Marshall, Michigan 49068 Timothy D. Bennett
269.781.8460 • http://www.oconnorbennett.comYOUR PARTNERS IN ESTATE PLANNING AND PROBATEDaniel L.
LaValley, 75,
of Battle Creek,
Mich., passed
away Tuesday,
June 11, 2024,
at Bronson
Methodist
Hospital in
Kalamazoo, Mich.
He was born
August 2, 1948 in
Plattsburgh, N.Y.,
the son of Arnold
LaValley Sr. and Dorothy (Cook) LaValley.
Dan married Catherine Schroll
Henderson on November 22, 1980,
at Pennfield Presbyterian Church in
Pennfield, Mich. Dan and Cathy shared
44 wonderful years of marriage.
Dan retired from Battle Creek Public
Schools after 34 years in elementary edu-
cation. He played an integral role in shap-
ing many students during his time with
BCPS. Dan worked at Bachman Hebble
Funeral Service for 13 dedicated years.
He was president for the Calhoun
County Chapter for Michigan Area Retired
School Personnel and a member of Maple
Methodist Church. Dan was a previous
member of Pennfield Presbyterian Church,
serving on Session and Deacon Boards
(two terms). Dan enjoyed biking and wouldride daily 8 miles to work at Bachman
Hebble.
He loved tending to his yard, making
sure it was neatly mowed and he grew the
most beautiful roses. His hobbies included
collecting Santa Clauses, canoeing, play-
ing tennis, and he even built an actual
train layout.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine
LaValley; son Steven LaValley; daughter
Caitlin LaValley; brother Timothy LaValley;
and his granddogs, Oakley, Olive and
Maizy.
He was preceded in death by his par-
ents, Arnold and Dorothy LaValley, and his
brother, Arnold LaValley Jr.
Visitation was held at Bachman Hebble
Funeral Service on Tuesday, June 18,
2024, from 4-8 p.m. Funeral services were
held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Bachman
Hebble Funeral Service, with Pastor Linda
Stoddard of Maple Methodist Church offi-
ciating. Burial was at Oak Hill Cemetery
in Battle Creek, Mich.
Memorial tributes may be made to the
Battle Creek Police Officers Association
(BCPOA), 34 N. Division St., Battle
Creek, MI 49014; and Mary Free Bed
Rehabilitation Hospital.
Arrangements by Bachman Hebble
Funeral Service; (269) 965-5145/www.
bachmanhebble.com.Dudley E.
Matthews, 72, of
Kalamazoo, MI,
formerly of Battle
Creek, went to be
with the Lord on
April 20, 2024.
He was born
to the late John
C. Matthews and
Ivory Ozell (Bell)
Matthews in
Byhalia, MS. He
moved with his
family to Michigan in 1953. He attended
Battle Creek Public Schools, graduating
from B.C. Central in 1970.
Dudley obtained a journeyman’s card
and worked in construction as an iron
worker, #Local 304, for many years until
his health started to decline. He loved
working with his hands. He remodeled his
mother’s kitchen, built a playhouse in her
backyard and added a back deck/porch.
Dudley did a major makeover to his own
home. He was an avid fisherman, going
out in his boat every chance he could. He
also loved to draw and played the trumpet.
He served in the U.S. Navy in the early
’70s and was honorably discharged.
He was married to his wife, Mivis(McCants) Matthews of Kalamazoo, for 43
years. And, to this union: a son Brandon
T. Matthews, also of Kalamazoo, MI.
Dudley had two daughters, Lisa Davis of
Battle Creek, MI, and Shannon Johnson of
Nashville, TN.
He is survived by his wife, Mivis
(McCants) Matthews; son Brandon; and
daughters Lisa and Shannon; grandchil-
dren Jalisa Davis, Patrice Johnson and
Austin Johnson; siblings Aubrey (Yolanda)
Matthews of Kalamazoo, Valanders
Tommy (Odessa) Martin, Cheryl Hoyt,
Michael (Sheila) Matthews and Barbara
(Michael) Campbell, all of Battle Creek,
MI; nephews Charles W. McCants and
John T. Matthews; nieces Tamla Matthews,
RoNal’da Hoyt, Rita McMickens, Mika
Reschke, Nakia Baylis and Brandi
Campbell; brother-in-law Dennis (Cynthia)
McCants; sister-in-law Diane (Webb)
McCants; and a host of grandnieces,
grandnephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his par-
ents, John C. and Ivory Ozell Matthews;
and brother-in-law Charles McCants.
A memorial service will take place at
Unity Missionary Baptist Church, 470
Washington Ave. N., Battle Creek, MI
49017 on Friday, June 21, 2024, from 2-
p.m. Cremation has taken place.