VIRGINIA HOWE

Virginia Mary “Ginny” Howe, 88, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on July 4, 2021. She was born on November 29, 1932, in Milwaukee to Elmer and Frances (Bykowski) DeBuhr. She graduated from Messmer High School and St. Mary's School of Nursing in Madison. She enjoyed her time at St. Mary's with her tight knit group, the “G Four plus Gilly” and was particularly proud of being an RN. She was always available to share her medical knowledge and thoroughly disinfect any wound anyone received.

Ginny married Bruce Howe on June 26, 1954, in Milwaukee. Ginny worked at Columbia Hospital in Milwaukee as a staff nurse and later in Waukegan, IL, at Victory Memorial Hospital as a staff nurse and U.S. Steel as an industrial nurse. She retired from nursing after her fifth child was born to fully dedicate herself to her greatest passion, that of being a wife and mother. She raised seven children, always making sure everyone's lunch was packed, nutritious dinners were served, everyone got to where they needed to be and served as a scout leader for many of her children's troops. She created many memories for her family, baking Christmas cookies and candy every year and discovering a northern Wisconsin resort that brought her family together every summer and contributed to incredible closeness in her family.

Ginny was always thinking of ways to brighten other people's day. She was always the first in the neighborhood to bring a new neighbor a loaf of home baked bread or cookies. She loved to bring roses and dahlias grown in her garden to people simply to make them smile. She was a pink lady at Theda Clark and part of the meal ministry at her parish, St. Margaret Mary, often bringing meals to complete strangers in their time of need. She was a regular adorer at the Adoration Chapel, and felt so strongly about the importance of adoring our Lord that she visited parishioners in their homes, sharing her enthusiasm about the chapel and encouraging them to sign up for an hour.

Ginny is survived by her husband of sixty-seven years, Bruce, her seven children; Micki Fahl of Hartford, WI, Steve (Rita) of Rochester, MN, Christa (Gary) Sanders, of Menasha, WI, Jeff (Terry) of West Chicago, IL, Kerry (Elaine) of Albuquerque, NM, Dawn (Mike Wasserburger) of Broomfield, CO, and Laura (Mike) Lemancik of Oshkosh, WI, seventeen grandchildren; Thomas (Hayley) Fahl, Jenny (Kyle Benik) Fahl, Eric (Katy) Howe, Emily (Alex) Weckiewicz, Sean Sanders, Patrick (Marci) Howe, Michael (Mallory) Howe, Rachel Howe, Rebecca Howe, Jim Howe, Holly Howe, Kathryn Howe, Sierra Wasserburger, Mackenzie Wasserburger, Cody Wasserburger, Mark Lemancik, Stephanie Lemancik and seven great grandchildren, Kinsley Fahl, Eli and Cecilia Howe, Preston and Jocelyn Howe, and Pierce and Conrad Howe. She is further survived by brothers-in-law Art Zinky and Terry Howe and sisters-in-law Joyce DeBuhr, Diane DeBuhr, Gloria Howe and Mary Howe. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Alice Zinky, brothers Tom and Jerry DeBuhr, brothers-in-law Howard and Tim Howe, sister-in-law Joan Howe and son-in-law Clay Fahl.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 620 Division Street, Neenah, WI, on Sat., July 17, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m.. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary's Hospital in Madison:

(https://www.ssmhealth.com/donate/st-mary-s-foundation-madison/make-a-gift) in memory of Virginia Mary Howe. Special thanks to Leann Lee for her companionship to Ginny in her final days.