Virginia L. Bigbee
She was born October 27, 1923, in El Dorado, Kansas, the daughter of Thornton C. and Gladys I. (Russell) Skinner. She grew up and graduated from high school in Hutchinson, Kansas. Her family moved to Manhattan in 1941.
She met her future husband at a USO dance being held in the Community Building in Manhattan, as Howard was stationed at Ft. Riley. Following Howard's return from Europe, he and Virginia were married on June 24, 1945, at First Congregational Church.
Virginia worked part-time once her daughters were in Junior and Senior High School. She worked as her husband's bookkeeper for his welding shop. She, Howard, and Jean owned and operated Tuttle's Antique Market from 1989 until 2001.
Virginia loved to play golf and was a member of Stagg Hill Ladies, former member of La Sertoma and later Sertoma, former member of VFW Ladies Auxiliary and American Legion Auxiliary. She was a lifetime member (61 years) of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International (chapters Delta Omega and later Gamma Omicron). She was a very active member (since 1946) of First Congregational United Church of Christ. She also enjoyed china painting and taking aerobic classes.
She was a mother to Jean and Judy but a mom to many of the girl's friends and a Kansas mom to young couples from church.
Virginia was predeceased by her parents, one brother, two sisters, husband Howard in 1990, daughter Jean in 2023, two nieces and one grandnephew. She is survived by her daughter, Judy Bigbee Ahrens and her favorite son in law, Jim of Manhattan; one niece, several grand nieces and nephews, great grand nieces, and nephews along with a large extended family and friends.
Judy and Jim would like to thank the staff at Miller Place - Meadowlark Hills for the wonderful care they gave Virginia. She loved visiting them and she also made new friends after moving to Miller Place.
The family will greet friends during a visitation from 5:30 until 7:30p.m. Friday April 11, 2025, at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan.
Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday April 12, 2025, at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 700 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan. Services will be lived stream through the funeral home Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/YML.FuneralHome Private inurnment will be at the Valley View Memorial Park in Manhattan.
In lieu of flowers memorials can be given to First Congregational United Church of Christ or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.
Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.ymlfuneralhome.com