Virginia Wahlstrom

Virginia Doris (VanPatten) Wahlstrom passed away on May 18, 2015 at Crestview Care Center in Chadron, Nebraska. Virginia was born on November 22, 1920 at the family farm near Sutton, Nebraska to George and Mildred (Israelson) VanPatten. After graduating from Sutton High School in 1938, she earned the Regent's Scholarship to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated in 1943 with a degree in business education. Following graduation, Virginia worked as a secretary at Harvard Air Base in Harvard, Nebraska. While she was attending the University, Virginia met her husband to be, Lee Wahlstrom. The two were married on May 9, 1944 in Key West, Florida, where Lee was serving in the Naval Air Corps during WWII. Following the war, Lee and Virginia returned to Nebraska where Lee's work led them to the western part of the state. They settled in Chadron in 1961 when they bought the local Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealership, and have been active members of the community for the last 50+ years. Faith and community were very important to Virginia, and she was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church. Over the years, she served as president of the United Methodist Women, PEO (Chapter BL), Chadron Culture Club, and the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Genealogy was an important endeavor in Virginia's later years, and she worked many hours to leave her children and grandchildren the gift of knowing their ancestry. She was a charter member of the Nebraska State Genealogical Society. Lee and Virginia loved to travel and enjoyed trips all around the world, their favorite which was to Afghanistan in 1976. Virginia is survived by her husband, Lee, of Chadron; son Robert (Jane) Wahlstrom of Chadron; daughter Catherine (Richard) Wahlstrom of Rapid City, South Dakota; grandchildren Cory (Bandy) Wahlstrom of Firth, Nebraska; Michael (Caitlin) Wahlstrom of Atlanta; Ryan (Anne) Barrows of London, England; and Elizabeth (Dave) Chalenburg of Lincoln; great-grandchildren Jacey, Colton, Karlie, and Ashlyn Wahlstrom; Martha, Jane, and Hannah Barrows; and Aiden and Holden Chalenburg. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Corrine VanPatten Rath. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the Chadron Hospice or the Chadron United Methodist Church. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.�½�½

Service:

Tuesday, May 26, 2015 ~ 2:00 PM

United Methodist Church ~ Chadron, Nebraska