Violet Ann Hanis

Violet Ann Hanis passed away July 31, 2025 at the age of 100.

Violet, “Vi”, (christened Wladislawa Cetnor) was born on September 27, 1924 on the family farm in Warsaw, North Dakota to Teofilia (nee. Lesniak) and Joseph Cetnor, joining her siblings Stanley, Hillary, Louis, Elizabeth, Felix, Martha and, later, Cass. Two others died in early childhood. The farm had everything: cows, horses, pigs, chickens and vegetable gardens. Plenty of food, and work to go around. Sadly, when Vi was 4 years old, her mother died in childbirth. Her grandparents, Aunt Mary and neighbors did their best to mother her.

Vi learned to scrub clothes on a washboard by 8 and chop off the heads of chickens. She milked the cows, and she learned to play the harmonica and do a jig. Anything her brothers did, Vi did too - like sledding down the barn roof into a 20-foot snow drift, or teasing the bull until it chased her over the fence. She says of herself, “I was bold as brass.”

At 8, Vi moved to a convent for a year to gain a religious education and make her First Communion. Sitting on the kindly Mother Superior’s lap she would recount what she had learned that day. One time when a younger neighbor boy, who was also at the school was punished, she decided the two of them would leave without telling anyone and began the 5 mile walk home. Half way there they stopped at a gas station. After quizzing them the owner called her Dad who came and took them home in a wagon.

When Vi was 11 years old she moved to her sister, Elizabeth’s farm in Minnesota to take care of her two children who had polio. Her niece, Martina improved, however her nephew died. There was endless work that included cooking and cleaning and other chores. There was no time for school. At 16, she took a job in a neighboring town doing cooking and housework in someone’s home for a year. Then, her brother Stanley visited and brought her to Detroit where he was living. She stayed with her Aunt Catherine, her father’s sister but soon moved in with a family to do domestic work as well as care for a sick family member. It was hard work. Sometimes the people were nice, sometimes not.

At 18, Vi told her brother that she was getting a factory job. He wasn’t pleased but she was able to make more than the $4 a week she received working in someone’s home. So, she became a “Rosie the Riveter” during World War II. Factory work was hard, but Vi was industrious. Her boss even brought people around to watch her speedy work. She made life-long friends there. During that time, she loved dancing to the Big Band music of the 40’s. And, at work, across the assembly line, Paul Hanis spotted her and soon they were dating.

Paul was called up for service and after training sent to the Pacific. Her brothers, Stanley and Felix were already in the Army. Paul’s brother, Mike was like a brother to her, watching over her and introducing her to the Hanis family including Helen, Ann and Marie whom she met on a trip to Chicago. While on leave, Paul took her to the farm in Mancelona, Michigan where she immediately bonded with his mother, who was thrilled that her soon to be daughter-in-law spoke Polish which was very close to Slovak. They adored each other.

When the war ended so did the factory work. Her boss cried when he had to let her go. He was like a father to her. Vi found a job at Kroger’s Grocery behind the meat counter. She worked there until she married Paul on May 18, 1946. First Paul Jr. was born and when she was pregnant with Jan they moved to a house in a lively family-filled neighborhood at 159 East Montana, Detroit. In 1955, when Bob was 3 years old, they moved to the house that Paul, a master carpenter, built with the help of many family members and friends, in Livonia. She lived there for the remainder of her life.

With a family of 4 children, once Mark arrived in 1958, Vi started her busy volunteer career. She led Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. As a founding member of Saint Priscilla’s Church she served on the Ladies Committee, organized Bingo and sang in the Choir. She organized craft and bake sales to raise funds for the church. She was on 14 different committees! For 25 years she befriended people in Nursing Homes. She loved to help people and her church. Her energy seemed boundless as she juggled home, family and volunteer life.

One of her favorite volunteer jobs was being a catechism teacher for 16 years. She worried about taking it on but the parish priest convinced her. Later the nuns who had observed her in the classroom said she did an excellent job because she made the teachings understandable to the children.

During this period, she also went back to school to get her GED. She finally finished high school. It wasn’t easy, but she was determined. Bob helped her with her homework. For her, education is one of life’s great values. She could never understand how anyone wouldn’t want to go to school. She also took music lessons with her friend, Virginia and learned to play the organ. She had a life-long love of music.

For seven years, Vi did hospice work. After extensive training she was assigned to different patients with whom she read to, talked and prayed with, often holding their hand. It was difficult, but she knew how important it was for the patients and their family.

For her entire life she loved gardening. Her yard was filled with flowers and even at 100 years old she was still planting and growing vegetables and flowers.

Vi says her most gratifying accomplishments were Catechism teaching and hospice work. However, it is the love of her children, family, and friends that give her the greatest happiness. She says she couldn’t have accomplished so much without her faith, her religion.

Vi was predeceased by her husband, Paul and their youngest son Mark. She is survived by her children, Paul, Jan and Bob; her grandchildren, Eric (Anne), Kristi (Jeremy), Max (Emily) and Nika (Sammy), and great grandchildren, Madalyn, Julia, Jodi, Ily, Eliot, Carlsson, Ruthie, Violet, Jay and Zac. She also deeply loved her many nieces and nephews, numerous other family members, and her extensive community of beloved friends.

Memorial donations in memory of Violet Hanis may be made to Seedlings Braille Books for Children https://www.seedlings.org/how-to-help/donate/general-donation/

Visitation for Violet will be held Thursday, August 7th from 4:00 - 8:00 PM with a Rosary Service at 6:00 PM at Manns Family Funeral Home, 17000 Middlebelt, Livonia 48154.

Violet will be In-State on Saturday, August 9th from 9:00 AM until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Priscilla Catholic Church, 19120 Purlingbrook, Livonia 48152.