Violet Elaine McNew of Greeley passed away on February 6, 2015 at the Life Care Center of Greeley. Her death was the result of complications arising from a fall. She was 90 years old.

Vi leaves behind her husband of seventy years, Delbert A. McNew. She also leaves a son, Terry (Shirley) McNew of Aiken, South Carolina; and a daughter, Debbi Keese (Paul SoRelle) of Eaton, Colorado. Vi has four grandchildren, Ryan McNew and Robyn (Mark) Napier of Aiken, South Carolina; Tylar (Jenette) Keese of Brighton, Colorado, and Troy Keese (Stefanie Tilton) of Denver, Colorado. She was blessed with five great grandchildren. They are Nicholas McNew, Jaden and Logan Mae Napier of Aiken, South Carolina; and Brianna and Addison Keese of Brighton, Colorado. She is survived by one sister, Margaret (Beryl) Veal, of Meadow, South Dakota.

Vi was born on a farm in Perkins County, South Dakota, the twelfth child of Bernhard and Anna Marie (Stigen) Nilsen. She attended primary school in rural Perkins County, secondary school in Lemmon, South Dakota, and continued her education at Humbolt Business School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On October 9, 1944 Vi and Del were married. Following Del’s discharge from the Army after WWII, they made their home in Lemmon. In 1963 the family relocated to Boulder, Colorado. She started her professional career as a legal secretary/legal assistant while in Lemmon, and continued it in Boulder.

Improving the legal secretary/legal assistant profession as well as herself was a passion for Vi. She was instrumental in the founding of several local chapters of the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS) and held many leadership positions at the local, state, and national level. She became a charter member of the National Association of Legal Assistants and was one of the first Certified Legal Assistants in the country. In addition to that certification she was a certified Professional Legal Secretary (PLS), Certified Professional Secretary (CPS), and Professional Registered Parliamentarian.

Vi became a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals while in Lemmon and was an active member for over 50 years, serving as an officer and contributing her knowledge of parliamentary law.

The high point in her career was when she was voted National Legal Secretary of the Year at the 1977 NALS convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Vi retired in 1994 and in 2000 she and her husband relocated to Greeley, Colorado.

Moser Funeral Service in Evans, Colorado is in charge of arrangements. An online obituary and guest book are at www.moserfuneralservice.com