Violet Janet (Lee) Silva (1921 - 1997)

Born 27 Jan 1921 in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Ancestors

Daughter of Soong Myung Lee and Merrine (Gomez) Lee

Wife of Edwin Lee Silva — married 9 Mar 1940 in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Descendants

Died 11 Nov 1997 at age 76 in Hayward, Alameda, California

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Mindy Silva [send private message] and Kailani Silva [send private message]

Biography

Violet Janet "Vi" Lee was born on the 27th of January 1921 in Wailuku, Hawai'i.^[1] She was the sixth of the nine children born to Soong "Soon" Myung Lee and Merrine "Minnie" (Gomez Gonsalves) Lee.^[1] When Vi was nine years old her family lived in Wailuku.^[2] Her father Soong (age 50) worked as a Salesman for a Sewing Machine company.^[2] His immigration year (from Korea) was listed as 1901.^[2] Her mother Minnie (age 31) stayed home and took care of the family.^[2] Minnie had migrated from Spain in 1915.^[2] Both were able to read and write.^[2] Antonio (15), Angel (14), Frank (13), Sybil (11), Violet (9) and Alfonso (6) all attended school that year.^[2] Evelyn (4 ½) and Shirley (almost 2) were too young and stayed at home with Minnie.^[2]

In 1938, at the age of seventeen, Vi contracted the Measles. Due to this the school changed their policy and required two performers for all star roles. She was recovered and able to carry out her role in Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp in April of 1938. Two years later, Vi married the love of her life, Edwin Lee Silva.^[3] The wondrous event was witnessed by her brother Anthony and his wife Mary.^[3]

When the 1940 census was taken Ed (22) and Vi (19) lived on Piopio Street in Hilo.^[4] Ed was working as a doorman for the Palace Theater, while Vi stayed at home. Their first child, a son they named Ronald, was born in December of that year.^[5] By 1950 they had a household size of five, which included the two daughters that were born in that time.^[5][6][7] Ed had been promoted several times at the Hilo Theater.^[8] He was then promoted to District Manager of Consolidated's entertainment business in 1942, and then a manager of Consolidated's Big Island activities in 1946.^[8] Violet, a loving and supportive wife, took care of him, the home and the family.^[5]

Vi and Ed had moved their family to Alameda County, California by 1970. Their son Ron had moved out and started a family of his own.^[5] Their daughter Terri, who had mental challenges due to birth complications, lived with them. Two of the other three daughters had married and moved out as well. By 1985 Terri was the only child living with them. Ed had gone through bypass surgery the year before and had recovered nicely. The three of them lived at the end of a cul-de-sac in San Leandro. Two of their daughters, and their families, also owned property there on Russell Court.

'Auntie Vi' or 'Granny Vi,' as she was called, died on the 11th of November 1997 at the age of seventy-six.^[1] Cause of death was pneumonia, preceded by a cerebral vascular accident and hypertension.^[6] Her beautiful smile and loving heart is missed by many, and forgotten by none.

Residence

1930: Hilo, Hawaii, Hawai'i Territory^[2]

1935: Hilo, Hawaii, Hawai'i Territory^[4]

1940: Hilo, Hawaii, Hawai'i Territory^[4][9]

1957: Honolulu, Hawaii, Hawai'i Territory

1971: Hayward, Alameda, California

1980: San Leandro, Alameda, California

1985: San Leandro, Alameda, California^[10]

1997: Hayward, Alameda, California^[1]

Family

Husband: Edwin Lee Silva

Wife: Violet Janet Lee

Married: 9 Mar 1940 Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Children:

1. Ronald Edwin "Ron" Silva b 1940's
2. Theresa Joyce "Terri" Silva b 1940's^[6]
3. (Living Daughter) Silva b 1940's
4. (Living Daughter) Silva b 1950's^[1]
5. (Living Daughter) Silva b 1950's

Research Notes

A native of Hawaii, she lived most of her life out in San Leandro, California with her family around her. Vi had a wonderful singing voice, with a single being released when she was young, and still living in Hawaii. She had a great love for all of her family; her infectious smile bringing laughter and joy to all around her. It was not uncommon to see her in the kitchen, whipping up poi for her grandchildren and nieces. Or laying on the floor with them, glancing through a book.

At one point Ed and Vi lived on Kapiolani Street in Hilo, per (undated) public records.

DNA Confirmation

Paternal and maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Mindy Silva (great-granddaughter) and her second cousin (a grandchild of (Living) (Lee) Lum Ho). Their MRCAs are their great grandparents, Soong Myung Lee and Merrine "Minnie" (Gomez) Lee. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 1st - 2nd cousins (actual relationship 2nd cousins), based on sharing 181 centimorgans shared across 9 DNA segments; Confidence: Extremely High. Note: I realize that (Living) Lum Ho is unlisted, but she is about ninety years young and I want to preserve this information.(Silva-1055 17:01, 4 October 2018 (UTC))

Sources

^{[3] [2] [4] [11] [9] [5] [6] [7] [8] [10] [1]}

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} California, State of. 1997 (filed 14 Nov). "Certificate of Death: Violet Lee Silva." Dept. of Public Health, Div. of Vital Statistics, Reg. Dist. No. 3199701007503, File No. 3 051997 I72787.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 17 January 2018), Violet Lee in household of Song Lee, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 36, sheet 4A, line 30, family 64, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2637; FHL microfilm 2,342,371.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Maui, Territory of Hawaii, Marriage Records, Vital Records Clerk, Maui, Hawaii, marriage of Edwin L Silva and Violet Lee, 1940; Film location 2101-2808, Latter Day Saints Family History Center, Lexington. Copy in the possession of Mindy Silva
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (United States Census : accessed 17 January 2018), Violet Silva in household of Edwin Silva, Tract H-4, Hilo City, South Hilo Judicial District, Representative District 1, Hawaii, Hawaii Territory, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1-29, sheet 27B, line 82, family 479, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4582.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Personal knowledge of Mindy Silva.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (Social Security Death Index : accessed 17 January 2018), Theresa Silva, Aug 1982; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Silva, S L. Social News. Honolulu Star- Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii), July 31 1940's, page 16, column 8. Copy in the records of Mindy Silva.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Silva, Edwin. Silva New Manager of Princess, Hawaii Theaters. The Honolulu Advertiser, March 16, 1957, Saturday, Page 8. Copy in the records of Mindy Silva.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947," database, Ancestry ([ WWII Draft Cards] : accessed 17 January 2018), entry for Violet Janet Lee Silva, next of kin for Edwin Silva, 1940; citing U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 on Fold3, originally from NARA.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (United States Public Records : accessed 4 October 2018), Violet and Edwin Lee Silva, Residence, San Leandro, California, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
11. ↑ Lee, Violet. Maui Cast Will Have Two Performers for Each Role. Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) April 26, 1938, page 18, col 5