Viola Rosana Collins Bashful

In Loving Memory of Viola Rosana Collins Bashful June 13, 1932 — August 18, 2025 Shortly after celebrating her 93rd birthday, Viola Rosana Collins Bashful peacefully transitioned from this realm, surrounded by her loving family. A beloved wife, mother, sister, and matriarch, Viola lived a life marked by quiet strength, deep faith, and enduring grace. Born on June 13, 1932, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Earl Collins of New Orleans and Ethel Kitt Collins of Paulina in St. James Parish, Viola entered this world on Willow Street and grew up in a city she would forever call home. Her early education began at Wheatley Elementary School, and she later graduated from Walter L. Cohen High School. With a passion for learning and excellence, she pursued higher education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, majoring in Mathematics. Though just one semester shy of graduation, her intellect and curiosity remained lifelong hallmarks. Viola came from a family deeply rooted in faith, service, and leadership. She was the proud granddaughter of Rev. Frederick H. Collins, the second named pastor of St. John Missionary Institutional Baptist Church—an institution that remained central to her spiritual life. Her parents were among the pioneering families of the historic Pontchartrain Park Subdivision, helping to shape a vibrant Black middle-class community in New Orleans—where Viola returned after Hurricane Katrina to reclaim her family home. Viola was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker whose life reflected grace, strength, and unwavering dedication to those she loved. She shared 64 years of Holy Matrimony with her beloved husband, Hewitt Bashful, faithfully building a life rooted in love, faith, and resilience. Together, they raised two cherished children: their daughter, Linda Ann Bashful, formerly of Kansas City, Missouri, and their son, Eldric Arnell Bashful of New York, New York. She is also lovingly remembered by her adopted brother, Kevin Collins of San Diego, California, along with a large and close-knit extended family throughout Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, and beyond. Viola’s legacy lives on in the hearts of her family and all who were shaped by her wisdom, steadfast dignity, and nurturing spirit. A lifelong believer in the power of education and strong family roots, she instilled values of perseverance, learning, and love in all who knew her. Affectionately called Vi by those closest to her, she was a passionate lover of music—from jazz to opera — a woman of lively wit, fiery temperament, and a soft voice of reason. Her memory, quick laughter, and enduring love will remain forever in the hearts of those she held dear. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Funeral Service at St. John International Missionary Baptist Church, 2538 Jackson Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70113 on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 11:00am. Visitation will begin at 10:00am. Interment: Valence Street Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana. Arrangements entrusted to D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70125. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook, share memories and condolences with the family.