Good Bye Virginia

Elsie Virginia Turley

1920-2010

Learning of the death of a friends always brings back memories and disappointment in not being there to say goodbye. So it was with Virginia. I first met her soon after I became the activity director for a retirement and assisted living community in Sandy, Oregon. She had a reservation for a very specific apartment in our facility and was a frequent visitor for lunch.

We quickly became friends. I think it was three of the things we had in common. We were both Navy. Virginia enlisted in 1944 after getting her teaching degree from Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. two years before. She served in both Chicago and Cleveland as a member of the Shore Patrol. She often told me that the reason she joined the Navy was to find a man, and she did.

They were married after the war and moved to New Jersey. Her husband Frank was involved in the Scouting program as was I in Oregon and California. That was our second link.

He husband was also a Kiwanian and I was the president of two different clubs. For many years Virginia helped prepare for their biggest fundraiser, a fly-in and cruise-n She would round up a crew and they would spend the day assembling the napkins and flatware for the pancake breakfast. When she moved she brought the party with her and we would invite her friends to join us for lunch.

We became friend and I had many wonderful conversations with her. She one of our Red Hat ladies and I drove many of their outings and other trips that she enjoyed. I remember being invited to a family dinner at a nearby restaurant.

A private burial with military honors was held at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. I held a private memorial to remember a friend and fellow Veteran. Smooth sailing Virginia, good bye.