Violette Burleson was born on January 8, 1929 in Stanley, WI to Polish immigrants. The 5th of 6 children, she didn't learn to speak English until she attended grammar school. She met and married Donald Brieske in 1948 in Chicago and moved to Ontario, CA where she lived most of her life. Besides raising three children, she worked as a Secretary at OU Realty in Upland for 25 years. In 1980, she married Calvin Burleson who predeceased her in 2006.

In 2015, she moved into the loving arms of the folks at Brooke Road Elder Care in Fallbrook. After a long illness, she passed away at the age of 87.

Violette had a great passion for life, but three of her favorites were dancing (she once danced on the Lawrence Welk show), playing music on her accordion and organ (she made a record with her dance band in the 1940's) and bowling. She loved telling jokes and was always laughing.

She is survived by her brother Stanley Rogowski of St. Paul, MN; two of her children, Dona Johnson and David Brieske, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, all of whom reside in Southern California.