Violet Stunkard

Violet was born on April 13, 1936 on a farm in Calvin, North Dakota to Archie and Alice Swenson. From the farm, her family moved to Devils Lake, North Dakota where she attended Devils Lake High School and graduated in 1954.

After high school, Violet attended nursing school at the College of St. Mary’s in Rochester, Minnesota and that was where she met the first love of her life, Lyle Stunkard. They met at a wedding, and were eventually married on December 28, 1957, and lived 37 beautiful years together until Lyle’s passing in 1994. In 1996, Violet met her companion, George Hlavka, and they spent 25 years together until George’s passing in 2020.

Violet worked as a nurse until 1993, including as a labor and delivery nurse in New York and Wisconsin, and ended her career with Millard Public Schools as a school nurse. Outside of work, you could find her baking, spending time with her neighbors, close friends, and grandchildren, and traveling – at first often to catch Husker bowl games with Lyle and then more often to catch warm weather with George over the winter months.

Violet was preceded in death by husband, Lyle R. Stunkard; brother, Jim Swenson; and companion of 25 years, George Hlavka.

She is survived by her children, Carl (Cindy) Stunkard of Omaha, Nebraska, Carrie (Marty) Hagge of Omaha, Nebraska, and Alison Brewer of Omaha, Nebraska; brother, Norman (Nancy) Swenson of Mankato, Minnesota; grandchildren; Jamie (Kyle) Hosman of Overland Park, Kansas and their children Owen and Madeline; Cole (Alex) Stunkard from Crescent, Iowa and their children Caden and Cameron; Matthew (Lisabeth) Hagge from Cambridge, UK; Michaela (Tim) Marti of Arlington, VA and their children Max and Marcus; Lyleigh Brewer of Omaha, Nebraska; and Lydia Brewer of Omaha, Nebraska. Also sharing a special place in her heart were Cindy’s children and grandchildren, Heather (Martin) Reed from Larkspur, Colorado and their children Murphy and Henley; Haley (Nick) Rose from Gretna, Nebraska and their children Brody and Luka, Jason (Holly) Balzer from LaVista, Nebraska, and their children Ashton and Addison, and George’s daughters Wanda (Richard) Newbrough of Piedmont, SD and Connie (Rollie Griffith) Martin of Black Hawk, SD and their families.

Visitation: 5:00 pm ~ 7:00 pm, Friday, February 13th, 2026 at Braman Mortuary (Millard Chapel).

Celebration of Life: Saturday, February 14th, 2026 at 10:30 am, at St Paul Lutheran Church.