Annette Vial

Madison, WI / Wheaton, IL - To know Toni was to know generosity, devotion, infectious laughter and a big smile. Her home was a warm place for gatherings of friends and family to enjoy her baking, cooking and beautiful flower gardens. Born in Oak Park, Illinois on March 26, 1929, she died on December 3, 2016 at age 87. She led an active life, loving to dance, swim, sail, water ski, play tennis, golf, and bridge. Toni also had a flare for fashion and loved to socialize.

After graduating from Endicott College, she met her husband, Charles (Chuck) Vial, and they lived and worked on the 200-acre family farm in Downers Grove, Illinois. A career change for Chuck took them to Wheaton, Illinois where they lived for 50 years and raised their two daughters, Margaret (Peggy) and Susan. Chuck described Toni as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and "the hostess with the mostest".

Toni was a proud homemaker and her family always came first. It was not uncommon for Toni to deliver homemade food or send a card to friends at a time of need. She was an amazing community volunteer in the Wheaton area including First Presbyterian Church, Spectrios Institute for Low Vision at Deicke House, PEO and Central DuPage Hospital among many others. The family has many fond memories of time spent together at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

In 2006, Toni and Chuck moved their home to Coventry Village Retirement Community in Madison to be closer to family. They made new friends and Toni's positive attitude compared it to going to college again! Toni cared for Chuck at home for 7 of the 8 years that he had Alzheimer's disease, and just one year after his death she began her descent into dementia. Toni and Chuck were married for 57 years. They both received loving care from staff at Sebring Assisted Living Residence at Coventry. The family is also thankful for the care that Agrace Hospice and personal caregivers provided Toni.

Toni is survived by her daughters Peg (Jim) Johnson and Susan Vial (Dennis Birke), grandchildren Elizabeth and Josiah Johnson, Chris and Peter Birke, great-granddaughter Faithe, and many loved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel and Leslie Towle, and sister Lorelei Marshall. We will all miss her dearly, but will remember her in the sunshine, birds and flowers we see.

A memorial celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 11, 2016 in the chapel at SEBRING ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE, 7710 Brookline Drive, Madison. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to Spectrios Institute for Low Vision (Wheaton, IL) or the Music Program Fund at Sebring Assisted Living Residence.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434