Viola "Jolie" Strother Witcher

Mrs. Viola "Jolie" Strother Witcher, was born April 14, 1932 in McCormick, SC and died December 22, 2022 alongside her husband Joseph S. Witcher in San Francisco, CA. Viola is preceded in death by her parents Milton and Mary Eva Strother; brothers, William and Dunivin (Benny); sister, Serena Strother Wilson, and 11 other siblings; first and second husbands, Henry Clyde Thomas and Charles Larry. She is survived by daughter, Sharon Scott (San Francisco, CA); granddaughter, April Little (Seattle,WA); grandson, Ara Martin (Columbus, OH); great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jane Strother; nephew, Stuart Strother; nieces Maria Denese Tate, Teresa Kemp, Belva Strother Marlin, and Joan Esther Strother Chance; and family and friends too numerous to name.

Viola aka "Jolie'' was a trailblazer in the cosmetology world from her early years as a wig designer, instructor, and stylist to her later endeavors with a signature product line of Jolie cosmetics and as a beauty ambassador who showcased her work internationally. She was an entrepreneur who opened charm schools, wig shops, beauty salons, and nightclubs that catered to and served African Americans in Columbus, Ohio, in the early 1960s-1990s. "Jolie's" was a popular beauty destination with a logo that she sported on the license plate of her little white Corvette. She especially enjoyed the years when she worked alongside her beloved daughter, Sharon. Viola was active in local and national politics during the Civil Rights Movement and was proud to have attended the inauguration of President Kennedy in 1961. She married Joseph Witcher in 1992 and moved to San Francisco. There, she discovered new ways to serve her clients and, in 2001, at age 69, she joined a pilot group of hairdressers who partnered with a campaign in the city of San Francisco to help victims of domestic abuse.

She and her sister, Serena, cherished the quilting legacy they inherited from their maternal (McDaniels') line, and they loved sharing their creative projects with one another. Viola continued to hone her skills in San Francisco and occasionally displayed her quilts, which were testaments to the family legacy and her artistry. When she wasn't at "the shop" or quilting, she enjoyed cooking, gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Viola was a proud daughter, loving sister, mother, and wife; a faithful friend; a creative advocate; a life-long learner; and a much loved and cherished grandmother.