Violet Laray Avila, age 93, of Scottsbluff, NE, passed away at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Cremation has taken place. Services are pending and will be announces when available.

Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt to leave condolences for the family.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in the care of the Avila Family for later designation. You may view Violet’s Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at www.gehrigstittchapel.com.  Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Violet’s care and funeral arrangements.

Violet Laray Salazar was born in Ortiz, CO on May 2, 1931. Violet grew up in a large, humble, and hard-working family. Her early years, filled with hardship and resourcefulness, shaped her into a woman of strength, humility, and wisdom. With only an eighth-grade education, she overcame the odds to become the manager of a trailer court and a behind-the-scenes backbone in the family business, TC Avila Roustabouts. She wore these roles with pride and dignity. Her accomplishments were a testament to her perseverance, intellect, and dedication.

She lived a life of devoted service not only to her family and community but to her faith. She was a constant presence for those in need, interpreting in courtrooms, organizing funeral dinners, and helping complete paperwork for those who couldn’t read or write. She was a champion for others, an unofficial social worker, cultural bridge, and “neighborhood grandma” to all. Her legendary candy dish, always full, was a symbol of the sweet comfort she offered to others, with an equally generous heart. She was a mother and grandmother to many, by blood or by bond. Her family was the center of her universe. She never missed a birthday, had a present under her Christmas tree for everyone, and dedicated her time and energy to celebrating milestones, comforting through hardships, and preserving memories. She meticulously clipped newspaper articles, saved every drawing, organized decades of photos, and sewed countless quilts, each stitched with love. She made sure no memory was lost and no moment uncelebrated. Her hugs, prayers, and blessings wrapped around five generations like a warm, eternal embrace.

Her faith in God was the cornerstone of her life and the Catholic church was the foundation of her being. Violet prayed the Rosary daily, attended Mass faithfully, and nurtured the roses around a statue of the Virgin Mother. She never missed an opportunity to light a candle in prayer. Her unwavering belief was both grounding and uplifting. With the same devotion she offered to God, she believed in the power of prayer and passed her deep spiritual wisdom on to her family. “No matter where you are,” she once said, “you are in the house of God. Whenever you speak to Him, He will listen.” Her faith has surely granted her eternal peace and continues to bless us with grace beyond measure.

Violet’s life was filled with the small joys that made her unforgettable, her bright and bold clothing, her signature Tabu perfume, the duct tape that held her car together, and her kitchen full of the scent of homemade tortillas and deep-fried tacos. Her refrigerator overflowed with family photos and magnets, and her home was a museum of memories. She always greeted beloveds with a twinkle in her eye and joyful exclamation.

One of her most cherished moments in recent years was sharing a meal from Shari’s Restaurant and listening to Spanish music. She laughed, cried, and held hands with loved ones, enjoying the salsa-rhythm of life and the song Vivir Mi Vida (Living My Life), whose lyrics remind us to live, rejoice, and dance, no matter the sorrows life may bring.

Violet leaves behind not only a legacy of love, service, and faith, but also a spiritual blueprint for how to live with purpose. Her presence will forever be felt in the embrace of a warm hug, the whisper of a prayer, the bloom of a rose, the gentle sway of a weeping willow tree, the surprise of a Happy Meal toy, and the joyful shout of a winning “BINGO!” She was the wind beneath our wings and now she soars with angels, reunited with her beloved family members who passed before her.

She was not only a beloved grandmother, mother, and neighbor, but a beacon of unconditional love, resilience, and grace to everyone blessed to know her. Her life and legacy are celebrated by her living children Bob Salazar, Bertha “Mitzi” Johnson, Ed Avila, Ted Avila, and their families— five generations deep. Also, may God bless her children who are with her in Heaven.

To honor her life, we close with a prayer that reflects who she was and how she lived: Saint Francis of Assisi,

“Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Devine Master, let me seek not to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are raised to eternal life. Amen.”

Te amamos. We love you.