Viola (Hodges) Duncan

Viola Hodges Duncan of Laverne passed away on April 22,2025. She grew up on the farm East of Forgan.  She loved to ride horses and help her Dad with Cattle.  She would say she was born with cowboy boots on! 

Viola learned how to drive from her Dad with the hand clutch tractor.  She graduated in 1958 from Forgan with 17 in her class.  She then went to Colorado Women’s College for 2 years then transferred to Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell where she met Merriloy Duncan.   They became best friends and Merriloy wanted Vi to meet her brother Ronnie.  They went on a double date and then later had a double wedding- Viola and Ronnie, Merriloy and Carmen.

Viola graduated with her BS from OPSU then her and Ronnie moved to Kentucky where Ronnie was stationed in the Army.   Viola loved Kentucky because she was in the land of horses and derby’s!   Ronnie finished his service and they moved back to the panhandle where Viola started teaching at Tyrone.  Ronnie got a job teaching at Laverne so they moved to Laverne in 1969.  She commuted to NWOSU and received her Masters.  Viola and Ronnie welcomed to their family Rhodena, Suzanne and Eric. 

Viola went back to work for the Oklahoma State Department of Education as a Child Nutrition Consultant for 23 years. 

Aside from her family her biggest passion was horses.  She loved her Palomino Quarter Horses and competing at Horse Shows where she added to her already established trophy belt buckles. 
She also enjoyed Baking and Sewing. 

Viola never met a stranger.   She always said “Treat everyone equally cause you never know where and when you’ll see them again.”  Viola left huge impressions on everyone she came across.

Viola is survived by her daughter Rhodena DeWitt and son-in-law Troy DeWitt of Gate, OK, her son Eric Duncan and daughter-in-law Kelli Duncan of Woodward, OK, grandson Tel DeWitt and wife Jillian DeWitt, granddaughters Jillian Burton and Carli Burton, grandson Coy Burton, and great granddaughter Blakely DeWitt. Brother in law Bud Duncan and wife Judy, nieces, nephews and many other relatives and friends. 

She is preceded in death by husband Ron Duncan, daughter Suzanne, parents John Calvin Hodges and Esther (Davis) Hodges, sister Ola B. Mangum and husband Bud, sister in law Merriloy and husband Carmen, mother in law Peggy Dansby and husband Jake.