VIOLA GERTRUDE (KNIGHT) SROKA

SROKA, VIOLA G. (KNIGHT), 101, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023 at Alpine Nursing Home, Coventry. She was the wife of the late Walter E. Sroka, Sr. for 53 years. Born in West Greenwich, RI, she was the daughter of the late Lucy (Harrington) Knight and Henry A. Knight, Sr. She was a lifelong resident of Coventry, a friend to many and a devoted love for her children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. 

Viola is survived by her loving family, sons Walter (Butch) Sroka, Jr. and wife Johanna of Hope, and Ronald Sroka and his wife Jane, both of Greene. Daughters, Joyce Landroche and husband Roger, Gail Shunski and husband Richard, both of Coventry, Lynn Forand and husband Lewis, of Eastampton, NJ.  Viola is survived by 11 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great- grandson. She was proud to have a five generation family. She leaves many nieces and nephews and friends, many who called her Nana Vi. She will be missed by all. 
 

Viola was predeceased by brothers, Henry Knight, Jr. and Robert Knight, Sr., sisters Ethel Anthony and Dorothy Vickery. 

Besides being a wife and mom, she worked in the former Coventry Braid Mill making parachute cord for the U.S. Gov’t. During WWII, they also made elastic and shoe laces, she was also employed at the Outlet Co. Warehouse in Coventry. She joined her husband in the ownership of the Walt’s ARCO Service Station on Main Street, Coventry from 1962-1981. Viola then worked in the Coventry School System as a special needs teacher’s aide, retiring in 1997. She was an active Girl Scout Leader of Troop 572 in Coventry for 13 years. A member and past president of the Coventry Men’s Club Ladies Auxiliary and an avid bowler with the Coventry Men’s Club team until age 89.

She was an avid Red Sox fan and has an engraved brick with her name located in Fenway Park, at Gate G, Johnny Pesky Section. So happy when they win games and say, “Go Red Sox”. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting and baking for family and friends. She made heart pillows for the patients on the RI Hospital Cardiac Floor. Viola was a communicant of St. Francis Church, Coventry (Formerly Christ Church).  Back when, Viola and her late husband, Walt, could be seen picking corn and vegetables to sell at their roadside stand. It was almost impossible to go anywhere with her where someone did not stop her to remark about how they miss their “Kandy Korn” corn-on-the-cob. 

Memories are a great gift and Viola left us the best gift of all, her “Nanarisms” of comic and laughter to be enjoyed by her family.
 
Her Funeral Service will be Wednesday, August 16, 2022, at 10am in the Iannotti Funeral Home at MAPLE ROOT, 2000 Nooseneck Hill Rd.,(Rte.3) Coventry.  Interment at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter. Visiting hours Tuesday 4pm to 7pm. Memorial donations to the RI Special Olympics, 370 George Washington Hwy, Smithfield, RI 02917 (www.specialolympicsri.org) or the Alpine Nursing Home Patient Activities Fund, 557 Weaver Hill Rd., Coventry, RI 02816 would be appreciated. iannottifh.com

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