Virginia Ruth Willming

Virginia Ruth Willming, 88, of Benton Harbor passed away on Monday, February 16, 2015 at Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, February 20, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. at Trinity Lutheran Church at Court & Market Streets in St. Joseph, with Pastor Michael Roth officiating.  A luncheon will follow the service at Trinity Lutheran Church. Friends may visit 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, February 19, 2015 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will take place at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran School, Lutheran Bible Translators or Hanson Hospice Center. Those wishing to share a memory of Virginia online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Virginia was born September 22, 1926 in St. Joseph to Henry and Sophie (Knuth) Frobel.  She attended Trinity Lutheran Elementary School, and graduated in 1944 from St. Joseph High School.  Proudly responding to the call to serve her country during World War II, Virginia entered the Cadet Nurses program, and received her training at Columbus Hospital in Chicago. She graduated from Loyola University’s nursing program in 1947.  Virginia married Lewis Willming in 1949.  They had four children, Dennis (Roberta), Leonard (Marcia), Wendy (Dwyne) Patrick and Timothy (Karen), and three granddaughters, Morgan Willming, Darcy Patrick and Taylor (Devon) Kibby. Virginia spent the majority of her nursing career as an obstetrics nurse in the delivery room and retired from Lakeland Hospital after 25 years.  She loved gardening, and enjoyed playing cards and games. She was known for her wonderful sense of humor, positive attitude, and her strong Christian faith.  Family members both immediate and extended were extremely important to Virginia.  She always made these relationships a priority in her life, through a phone call, sending a greeting card, making a visit, attending family reunions and even tending grave sites. When asked about all her activities involving others she often responded, “God has given me my health and is not done with me yet.” She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lewis in 1999, two sisters Doris and Beatrice Frobel, and granddaughter Megan Willming.