VICTORIA — Viola Ann Lodovici, age 91, died Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at the Kelly House of Meriden South Care Center in Meriden, Kansas.

She was born July 8, 1923, in Victoria, Kansas, to Frank M. and Elizabeth (Weigel) Schmidtberger.  She married Olinto F. ‘Shine” Lodovici on June 1, 1944, at the Walker Air Base, Walker, Kansas.  He died September 9, 1996.

She was a homemaker and a cook and was at the Sigma-Phi-Episolon House at Fort Hays State College for 10 years.  Then she was a cook at Victoria Grade School for 10 years and cooked at Taste Freeze, Dean’s Cafe and Chartel Restaurant all in Victoria, Kansas. She spent one year with the Women’s Army Corp. at Fort Knox, Kentucky. She was a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Daughters of Isabella, Christian Mothers and V.F.W. Auxiliary all of Victoria, Kansas.  She enjoyed cooking, baking, canning, playing cards, bowling, reading and spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Survivors include one son, Dennis Lodovici, Palmdale, CA; five daughters, Lamanda Bennegfield and Sharon Lodovici, both of Wichita, KS; Anita Englert and husband, Gary, Topeka, KS; Vickie Martin and husband, Tom, Las Vegas, NV; Gail Flax and husband, Danny, Ozawkie, KS;  24 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; 5 great great grandchildren; one brother, Eldon Schmidtberger and wife, Alberta, Victoria, KS; one brother-in-law, Chuck Vestecka and wife, Leona, Victoria, KS.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one son, Michael Lodovici; one daughter-in-law, Jean Lodovici; one brother, Edwin Schmidtberger; one infant sister, Evelyn Schmidtberger; eight sisters, Loretta Braun, Catherine Melchoir, Melfreda Rucker, Evelyn Gross, Virginia Wilkes-Schmeidler, Estella Vestecka, Marian Vance and Vera Mae McClurg.

Services are 11:00 A.M. Friday, February 20, 2015, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis Victoria, Kansas.  Burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service is at 7:00 P.M. Thursday, followed by a Daughters of Isabella/Christian Mothers rosary and a V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service all at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Thursday and 9:00 to 10:30 A.M. Friday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.

Memorial to the Kelly House of Meriden South. Condolences can be sent via email to
[email protected].