Virginia M. Kerkvliet

Larchwood, IA Virginia Kerkvliet, age 92 of Larchwood, IA died peacefully Sunday, February 28, 2010 at the Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Merriam, KS. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Friday, March 5th at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, IA, with Fr. Jeff Schleisman Celebrating. Burial will follow at Larchwood Cemetery in Larchwood. Visitation will be Thursday, March 4th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood. There will also be a Rosary and Vigil service at 7:00 PM, Thursday evening at the church. Virginia Jean was born on June 22, 1917, in Salem, South Dakota, the daughter of John and Louise (Schoeberl) Honrath. Her schooling was in Montrose, Humboldt, and Hartford. She obtained her Registered Nursing Degree at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1947, Jean and Ferd were united in marriage at St. Josephs Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Together they farmed over 40 years and raised a family of seven children. Together with the family they traveled to all four coasts and saw most of the states. Virginia and Ferd traveled to Europe in 1985, Alaska and Hawaii sometime later. She loved gardening, crocheting afghans, family gatherings, spending time with her grandchildren, and farm life. After retiring, Virginia and Ferd moved to an acreage southwest of Larchwood. On August 27, 2008, Virginias husband Ferd died at the age of 90, after 61 years of marriage. Virginia continued living on their acreage until January of 2010, when she moved to Shawnee, Kansas, to be near several of her daughters. This past Sunday, February 28, 2010, Virginia died peacefully at the Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Merriam, Kansas, at the age of 92. Grateful for having shared her life are her four daughters, Judy (Tom) Odell, Alice (Don) Child, Maggie Kerkvliet and Mary Ivey; three sons, Joe (Vicki) Kerkvliet, Mike (Becky) Kerkvliet and Greg (Cathy) Kerkvliet; fourteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; two sisters, Rita Flanery and Mary Lacey; in-laws, Corrine Honrath, Jenny Kerkvliet, Eldon and Veronica Gradert, Irwin and Agnes Friedrich, Harvey Swanson; many nieces, nephews and cousins; a special friend and caregiver, Mary Giles. Virginia was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Ferdinand; one son, Jeffrey; her parents, John and Louise Honrath; one sister, Florence Siemonsma; three brothers, Leo, Joseph and Francis Honrath; in-laws Rose Honrath, Ed Lacey, Elmer Siemonsma, Orville Flanery, Mary Swanson, Marcella and Frank Bennett, William and Eileen Kerkvliet, Robert Kerkvliet; son-in-law, Charles Ivey; grandchildren Lisa and William Child. Virginia will be remembered as a woman of grace. Blessed be her memory. Masses may be said in honor of her memory, or memorial donations may be given to Catholic Pro-Life, P.O. Box 59852, Dallas, Texas 75229.