Virginia Smith

Virginia Evelyn Whetstine was born July 20, 1920, in Marysville, Kansas, to Sylvester Benjamin ("Vess") Whetstine and Viva Irene Davis. When Virginia was two years old, the family moved to her mother’s hometown of Clarks, Nebraska, where her father became a barber, working alongside her maternal grandfather in his barber shop. Virginia's sister, Margaret, was born in October 1924 in Clarks, where both girls grew up and graduated from high school. The family was active in church and community affairs. Virginia’s father served as the Methodist Church choir director, her mother was the organist, and Virginia and her sister participated in numerous church activities. Virginia attended Nebraska Wesleyan College in Lincoln for one semester and then returned to Clarks, where she taught in a nearby rural school.

In September 1941 Virginia and Alfred Lorenzen were married in Hastings, Nebraska. The couple settled in Grand Island, Nebraska, where her husband had been employed since 1940. During World War II, the couple were apart for some 3 ½ years while Alfred served overseas in the U.S. Army and Virginia worked in a drug store and again lived with her parents, who had moved to Grand Island to work in an ordinance plant during the War. After the War, Alfred resumed his employment in Grand Island, where in 1946 their son Steve was born, and the couple and their son lived with Virginia’s parents. In 1950 the family began a series of moves due to Alfred being transferred by his employer: to Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and finally, in 1961, to Lubbock, Texas. Alfred passed away in 1973 in Lubbock following a stroke.

In August 1976, Virginia and Edward Ross (“Ross”) Smith were married in Lubbock, where they lived until the early 1980s. During the1980s Virginia and Ross moved several times due to Ross being transferred by his employer: to Nebraska, then to Seymour, Texas, and finally back to Lubbock. Ross passed away in 1991 in Lubbock following a battle with cancer.

As her 80th birthday approached in the year 2000 and her physical condition deteriorated, Virginia’s family became concerned about her living alone in Lubbock and moved her to Austin. From 2000-2009 she resided in an independent living apartment at Parsons House. Since 2009, she has resided in the Heartland Health Care Center in Austin, where she could receive the level of nursing care appropriate to her condition.

Virginia was an active Methodist from childhood and was a member of the Rebeccah Lodge. Virginia was selflessly devoted to her family, serving as a mother, grandmother, and homemaker, and for many years also worked outside the home. Virginia attended cosmetology school and worked as a beautician during the latter 1940s. From the mid-1950s until 1961 Virginia and her mother-in-law operated a beauty salon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where her in-laws had moved to live with the family upon her father-in-law’s retirement. In the early 1960s she worked in a health foods store, and from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s Virginia worked for Dr. Denton DeWitt, serving as Office Manager of his oral surgery practice in Lubbock.

Virginia was preceded in death by her father, who passed away in 1959. She remained close to her mother until her death in 1991 at the age of 94, and to her younger sister, Margaret, who passed away in 2004. Her stepson Michael Smith passed away in 2011 and his wife Debra passed in 2015. Virginia is survived by her son Steve Lorenzen, daughter-in-law Cathy and family, including grandchildren Kurt and Kristina, and Kurt’s family, grand daughter-in-law Heather and great grandchildren Philip, Nicholas and Stephen; and by the family of her stepson Michael Smith and wife Debra, including step grandchildren Jessie, Tommy, Katie, and Philip. She is also survived by her niece Janice Gratz and husband Tom; and cousins Patricia Hildebrandt, Janice Alldredge and husband Jerry, and their families.

Virginia also leaves behind a large number of people whose lives she touched with her kindness, generosity, compassion, and positive attitude. Though Virginia is no longer with us, her spirit and love will blossom through those she inspired and influenced, leaving a lasting imprint on all our hearts.

To share your memories and condolences with Virginia’s family, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com.