Virginia was born September 24, 1916 to Oscar and Linda Redlin in Iron Ridge, Wisconsin, a small farming community in Southeastern Wisconsin. She was joined eighteen months later by her sister Victoria. Later in life the two would be known as Ginny and Tory. Ginny’s father owned a general store and garage/auto dealership in Iron Ridge and her mother was a housewife. Although Ginny never drove or had a driver’s license she probably enjoyed riding her father’s Hudson Terraplane, one of the cars he sold.
Victoria was the “tomboy” who liked to play baseball and be outside. Virginia, however, was more reserved, liked to stay home and bake. The Redlin house was always a favorite gathering place for all the kids in the neighborhood, probably because of the baked goodies. Ginny would continue that gift of baking into her nineties.
Virginia left Iron Ridge in 1930 to attend High School at Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin where she graduated in 1934. It was there she met Alvin Delaney, who some thirteen years later would become her husband. From all indications, Virginia was a quiet and reserved young lady and Alvin was more outgoing and somewhat a cut up in class. In their Senior Yearbook, it was written that Virginia was “likable and quiet” and under the ‘Possible, but not Probable section’: Virginia’s was “not smiling”. Alvin’s was “becoming a Latin Professor”. Ginny was the art editor for this Senior Year Book. Alvin signed her yearbook “To Giggles”, which would explain her favorite way of saying “yes”, as when Alvin asked her to marry him several years later.
After High School, Ginny attended the Marion Harland School of Beauty Culture, graduating in May 1935. She worked for a time as a Beautician. Alvin and Ginny probably dated some after High School and in 1943 they were married in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Alvin was stationed and in training as a Radio Operator in the Army Air Corp. He would soon go overseas with the 444th Bomb Group stationed in New Delhi, India. He flew thirty-eight missions as the Radio Operator on a B-29 called Undecided. Virginia would develop a new hobby, that of scrapbooking, keeping any article of the 444th‘s History during Alvin’s overseas deployment. After his return to the States and back to Wisconsin where they worked for a couple of years, the Delaney’s were blessed with a daughter whom they name Sharon Louise in October 1946. When Sharon was eighteen months old, the family moved to Southern California to escape the cold and hay fever.
In California Virginia continued to be a housewife and stay at home mom. Her baking and cooking skills were called upon many times during the next 60 years to provide treats and dishes for their church. Later she would become the unofficial fellowship committee and alter guide at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Pomona. When she left California in 2002, there were a lot instructions passed on to the other ladies of the congregation as to what to do and when. They were in a panic for sure! At church she also became “Grandma Ginny” to several little ones she cared for as their mother’s worked or baby sat for them.
About 1960, she joined her husband Al, as he later liked to be called, as a Shaklee Distributor, a business Virginia continued after Al’s death in 1983, until she moved to Colorado in 2002. She left many friends behind, but stayed in touch with them over the years. In Colorado Ginny lived with her daughter and son-in-law, attended Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church where she soon became involved in crocheting receiving blankets for the New Beginnings Home for Mothers in Denver. She would occasionally bake goodies for church, but always had lots of good eats for her son-in-law, something he enjoyed immensely.
Ginny enjoyed good health until 2007 when she fell and broke her hip. After replacement surgery she bounced back well. She was often called the “Energizer Bunny” by her son-in-law because she never stopped. In July 2010, she would fall again, this time she would not be coming home to Aurora however. She still fought to the end. One of her nurses remarked she had a strong heart. In deed she did, strong and loving. She enjoyed life and people, especially babies and loved her weekly trips to church and seeing her friends. Ginny died and received her “Crown of Glory” the morning of August 30, 2010 at the age of 93 years, 11 months and 6 days.
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