Phoebe Viola Babbitt

Asenath Phoebe Viola Passey was born February 16,1894, in Mesa ,Arizona, to Samuel Allen Passey and Mary Elizabeth Peterson. Viola's parents were members of the LDS community in the Mesa area and were married in 1891 they had four children together, Viola being the third. At an early age her parents divorced and mother Mary Elizabeth married John Martin Schuele, the family moved to his farm in Chandler, Arizona and were raised there. While growing up on the farm Viola had regular chores to do and she went to school and practiced the life of her religion, she had always appreciated music and art so in that she continued her education at Tempe Normal School (now Arizona State University). She was always close to her family, mother Mary, sister Mary Lorena and brothers Samuel Lester Passey, William Harry Passey and Martin Alban Schuele, she had seven other siblings by her fathers second marriage but they had moved to California. Viola continued her education by attending summer school at University of California in Berkeley and Columbia University in New York, during the rest of the time she taught reading and music for five years. During a visit to the Flagstaff area she met and became involved with Joseph Robert Babbitt, member of the Babbitt family that was a large part of the businesses in the Flagstaff areas. Joe was working in the family business at the Babbitt Brothers trading post when he was called to duty training for the U.S Army at Camp Kearny near San Diego, California. it was here that Viola came to visit him and he proposed to her and they were married there on May 4,1918.

After his training they returned to Flagstaff were he returned to working for his family and Viola took on the duties of housewife and mother they had 6 children, Emma Jean, Viola Betty, Mary Eleanore, Rayma Lucille, Theresa Eleanore and Joseph Robert Jr. It was there in Flagstaff at their modest home on Leroux street that they raised the family, Viola would sew clothing for the children attend to their educations and served on numerous school and church boards,at some point in time she converted from the LDS faith to the Catholic Church which was long the practice of the Babbitt family. Viola kept strong to her family ties always corresponding with her mother and siblings, she was especially close to sister Mary Lorena Passey Miller. They wrote letters and sent one another pictures of their ever growing families. (Mary Lorena named her only daughter Elizabeth "Viola" Miller after Viola.)

As time passed the children grown and starting their own families Viola returned to her passion for art and took up painting again it not only was a pastime but became a career for her she saw a need for Flagstaff to promote the music and arts movement in this endeavor she spent countless hours organizing, money and volunteers to find a home to give artists a place to aspire to their creative side.It was with her efforts that the Art Barn was created, from an old livestock barn emerged a building where artists could gather work together and create art, things did not stop there.

Viola always continued to seek avenues in which the community arts scene would grow.In 1981 the Coconino Center for the Arts was opened up and continues to flourish today. Viola was always a giving person to family to friends and to her community she helped with not only the art scene but also with the Nativity Catholic Church and the Flagstaff hospital for all her efforts and unwavering loyalty to her community in 1981 she was presented with the Citizen of the year award. In 1988 her 94th birthday was celebrated with friends and family at the Art Barn the place that was always special in her heart. The Arizona Senators Art Award was presented to her in 1989. On August 23,1994, Flagstaff lost their Matriarch to the Arts movement,there but will never be forgotten for her love and passion for the creative lifestyle in 2009 the Coconino Center for the Arts created the Viola Awards to commemorate excellence the music and arts so loved by her. Thank you for your passion and your vision Viola you will never be forgotten.

Parents:

Samuel Allen Passey (1867 - 1945)

Mary Elizabeth Peterson Schuele (1873 - 1926)

Spouse:

Joseph Robert Babbitt (1891 - 1968)*

Children:

Joseph Robert Babbitt (1932 - 2002)

Siblings:

Mary Lorena Passey Miller (1891 - 1983)

Asenath Viola Passey Babbitt (1894 - 1994)

William Passey (1896 - 1979)

Martin Alban Schuele (1899 - 1982)

Esmay Ione Passey Shippee (1905 - 1991)

Samuel Lester Passey (1916 - 1954)

Maintained by: Arizonagraver

Originally Created by: Cori Hoag

Record added: Apr 20, 2002

Find A Grave Memorial# 6359656