Violet Mae Abercrombie, 86, died peacefully at her home in Hermiston, Oregon, on Thursday, April 13, 2017.

Violet was born Friday, February 13, 1931, at her grandparent Harbaugh’s home on Weeding Lane in Blackfoot, Idaho, daughter of Anglo Moore Saxton and Ethel Harbaugh Saxton. For the first 19 years of her life she lived on a small family farm just down the road from where she was born. Violet graduated from Black Foot High School in 1949; during those high school years she lettered in the Glee Club. After graduation, her first job was for King Five & Dime store in Blackfoot, Idaho.

Violet had read and dreamed of one day visiting the Yakima Valley in Washington state. One day her sister Vilate introduced her to a young man just out of the Army. This young man was John David Abercrombie from Yakima, Wash. They fell in love and married November 10, 1950, at her parents’ home in Blackfoot, Idaho.

John milked cows and worked on farms in Utah, California, Oregon and Washington. Violet started working as a grocery cashier for Corno’s bulk food and produce market in Portland, Oregon, in 1960. After a few years, she began working for Safeway as a cashier. After a few additional moves (from Portland, Oregon to Idaho Falls, Idaho; Kent, Washington; New Plymouth, Idaho; and Ontario, Oregon) she finally settled in Stanfield, Oregon, in 1978. In 2003 she moved to her current home in Hermiston, Oregon. She continued working for Safeway, retiring from the Hermiston store in 1994.

Violet was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and she was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She was instrumental in starting a chapter of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers in Hermiston, Oregon: “The Meadow Lark Camp.” Violet held many ward and stake callings in the church from Young Women leader, Cub Scout den mother, Relief Society home visitor, Stake Relief Society secretary, stake single adult rep., stake librarian and ward bulletin editor, to name a few. The calling she loved most was as the Hermiston Stake Genealogy Extraction coordinator, which she faithfully fulfilled for over 15 years. Violet loved visiting temples and doing temple work.

Violet volunteered often for the Umatilla-Morrow County Head Start. She volunteered reading with elementary school students, Hospice in Home Care and was a coordinator for the local Red Cross Blood drives. She was always happy to volunteer her time and energy in the community and church.

She loved to travel and after she retired went on several cruises: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Belize; Mayan ruins; the Caribbean; and Alaska. She went to Asiago, Italy, Rome and England with her daughter Lenda and son-in-law Jeffery Rothleutner. She loved to share her adventures and photos of the many places she visited with whoever came over to the house.

Violet was a very talented woman, all though she claimed she didn’t have a talented bone in her body. Her hobbies were quilting, painting ceramics and shirts, macramé, dancing, singing, fishing, traveling, crocheting, embroidery, making clothes for her children and grandchildren, canning and preserving foods and her flower gardens, to name a few.

If anyone was in need of anything, even if it was just to listen or to give a hug, she was there, no matter the time of day or night. She based her life on the words of she her favorite hymn, “Have I Done Any Good in the World Today.”

Violet is survived by her two brothers, Anglo Elias Saxton of Pingree, Idaho, and Thomas Harbaugh Saxton of Blackfoot, Idaho; daughter Ethel Lenda Rothleutner and husband Jeffery A. Rothleutner of Mesquite, Nevada, and grandchildren Gary Troy Hill Jr. of Spanaway, Washington, Ryan A. Rothleutner, Landon A. Rothleutner and Haley R. Rothleutner of Mesquite, Nevada, and Lindsey Rothleutner of Denver, Colorado; daughter Valerie Jean Crosby and husband Verlyn Eugene (Geno) Crosby of Hermiston, Oregon, and grandchildren Timothy Anglo Crosby of Umatilla, Oregon, and Eddie Eugene Crosby of North Pole, Alaska; son John David Abercrombie II and wife Elizabeth Abercrombie of Bonnie Lake, Washington, and granddaughters Thereasa Rasmussen of Weiser, Idaho, Patrice Mae Lavoy-Worrell of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Rebecca Abercrombie-Otis of Puyallup, Washington, Saadia Obrovac of Bonney Lake, Washington, and Jessica Abercrombie of Puyallup, Washington; three stepgrandchildren, Joseph Francis Beckman II of Tum Tum, Washington, Angela Cosson of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Rachel Middleton of Malden, Washington; 39 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Anglo Moore and Ethel Saxton; sisters Marie Saxton, Hellen Stevens and Vilate Sauls; husband John David Abercrombie; daughter Saadia Irene Abercrombie; son Anglo Thomas Abercrombie; and two great-granddaughters, Lillian and Angela.

Memorial services were held on April 19, 2017, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hermiston, Oregon, with interment at Pleasant View Cemetery, Stanfield, Oregon.

Arrangements were under the direction of Burns Mortuary, Hermiston, Oregon.