Virginia Del Cook Smith August 7, 1917 - May 20, 2013

Virginia Smith passed away on May 20 at the age of 95 while in the care of her granddaughter Lissa in Silverton. She had suffered from Alzheimer's disease in recent years.

She and her husband, Marvin (who passed in 2007), lived in Sisters for 15 years from 1990 to 2005.

A family service was held and she was buried in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Virginia was born in Independence, Missouri, in 1917; she was the youngest of five children. Her father was a country doctor and her mother a teacher. She attended William Jewel College in Missouri briefly during the Great Depression, and then in 1942 she met Marvin in Benicia, California, where he was training to be an infantry officer. Virginia followed Marvin from training camp to training camp until he was sent overseas as part of the D-Day invasion in World War II.

After the war, they settled in Marvin's home town of Pratt, Kansas, where they had two daughters, Carol and Marlee, and a son, Mark. Virginia was a homemaker, as well as helping Marvin in his insurance business.

Virginia had fallen in love with California in her earlier years and convinced the family to move to San Diego County in 1957. They bought a plum ranch in Escondido, where she delighted in harvesting and marketing plums. Then a new job opportunity opened up and the family moved to El Cajon, CA, and Marvin continued his insurance business.

Virginia had always wanted to finish her college education, and she completed her AA degree at Grossmont College during those years. She enjoyed many hobbies and was an accomplished seamstress and made many beautiful quilts.

Virginia and Marvin retired to Sisters, where they had a beautiful home in Tollgate and were near their grandchildren. They had 15 wonderful years there, making many new friends and attending both the Baptist and Nazarene churches.

In their retirement they purchased a Lazy Daze RV and traveled the country. Another highlight during those years was journeying to Europe with others for a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of D-Day and again bringing all three of their grown children with them for the 45th anniversary of D-Day.

Virginia will be forever remembered for her love of her husband and family, her sense of humor, her appreciation of education and learning, and her joy in all the many friends they made over the years who came to visit them wherever they lived.

Survivors include daughter Marlee (a former Sisters resident) of Silverton; daughter Carol of San Diego, CA; and son Mark of Kooskia, ID. She had eight grandchildren of whom three, Tirza, Leyah, and Lissa Jensen, attended Sisters schools, and she is survived by eight great-grandchildren.