By Lee Anne Violet (VFA#2672, P60572)

Lee at Maison Galhaud winery

“Violet? Maybe we should call you Purple!” “You some kind of delicate flower?” “Watch out. It’s Lee Anne Violent!”

Growing up with the last name Violet made me realize two things. First, creativity plays no part in the taunts of your average grade-schooler. Second, those kids cued in on something – my last name was out of the ordinary. That realization prompted questions. Where did it come from? Who were the people that passed on this name? And why wasn’t it something normal like Olson or Carlson, like the rest of my fellow Scandinavian Minnesotans?

The answers I received to these questions were at best murky family lore. The only detail regarding our name I was able to prize was that my great-great grandfather changed it from Violette to Violet to simplify pronunciation. Continue reading →