Viola Lea Tunney

Viola L. Tunney, 78, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends after a brief illness. Viola Lea (Porter) Tunney was born in Sanford on March 21, 1945, second child of Lea (Lacasse) and Henry Porter. Two weeks after graduating from Sanford High School, Viola moved to Washington D.C. where she began her career working for the Kennedy Administration. A few years later, Viola relocated to California to work for the Old Mint in San Francisco. While there, Viola married John Tunney of Donegal, Ireland, in 1968, after meeting at a local dance. After leaving the workforce to care for her three children, Viola returned and began her next career with the United States Postal Service in Oakland, California. Viola eventually moved back to Maine, continuing her career with the USPS in Portland, Maine making several friends with her wit and sense of humor. Viola retired in 2002 to care for her father. Viola’s caring nature brought her back to the workforce as a Certified Nursing Aide assisting the elderly in their homes. It is this gracious and generous spirit that everyone will remember when thinking of Viola. Viola found enjoyment playing cards with friends, traveling, and taking several bus trips to Foxwoods Casino to play slot machines. On one of those trips, Viola surprised her son-in-law, Kevin, when she was on the same bus headed for Foxwoods. Some of Viola’s more memorable trips were traveling back to California, the Bahamas and to Hawaii with her son John. Viola also made several bus trips to NYC with her daughter to visit her uncle Ernest and see Broadway shows. Viola’s last trip was to Forest Gardens where she saw some of her former USPS co-workers for the last time. Viola is survived by her daughter Lea (Kevin) Foley of Falmouth, sons John Tunney of California and Kevin Tunney of Springvale, two brothers Lester (Judy) and John (Ruth) Porter, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, along with several nieces and nephews. Viola was pre-deceased by her parents and two brothers Vance (Sherry) and Henry. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Sedgewood Commons as well as the compassionate care she received with Compassus. A special thanks to Lester Porter, Janet Dimillo, Sandy Skaggs, John Mesko, and Steve Quinlan for ensuring Viola had her sweets and milk shakes until the end. A time of visitation will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024 from 8:30 a.m to 9:30 a.m. at Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main St., Springvale, with mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated immediately following at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church, 66 North Ave, Sanford, with a burial at Notre Dame Cemetery, Springvale. Viola had a fondness for cats; in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Animal Refuge League, PO Box 336, Westbrook Maine 04098. Those who would like to attend the funeral mass via livestream please visit https://stthereseparishmaine.org/livestream.