Virginia McCormick 02/17/2020

On February 17, 2020 Virginia R. McCormick, went to her heavenly home to be with all those who had gone there before her. As her memory began to fail she would frequently ask, “Where’s Jim?” Now she walks hand-in-hand with him through gardens more beautiful than the gardens for which she was noted and praised while on earth. Since September 2017 she had been a resident at the St. Croix County Health Center in New Richmond, WI and that is where she was when she was called home to be in the arms of her Lord and Savior. While there, her love for flowers prompted her to purchase all the flowers for and then physically restore the Memory Garden. She was born in High Bridge, Wisconsin on April 22, 1930 to Carl and Violet (Petersen) Grage. She attended Grage School (named after her grandfather) for eight years and then went on to Mellen High School, graduating in 1947. After graduation she went to Ashland County Normal where she received her two-year teaching certificate in 1949. At age nineteen, she began teaching all eight grades in rural one-room schools while taking night classes and summer classes to work on her four-year degree. During this time, consolidation of schools closed the rural schools and Virginia was assigned to the district’s city school where she taught only one grade. In 1955 she married James E. McCormick of Milwaukee. She had her transcript transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and began working to complete her four-year degree in education. After graduation she began teaching in Milwaukee and taught there for nearly 30 years. Throughout her life she was active in church as she fulfilled many roles serving her Lord. After retirement from teaching she began to volunteer her time and talents at the Milwaukee County Zoo where she earned recognition for her dedication to the youth of Milwaukee and the surrounding communities. Before moving to a senior care center, her neighbors recognized her as the neighborhood go-to person because of her many abilities and her willingness to help anyone with whatever task they encountered. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, husband James, to whom she’d been married for 58 years before his death in 2013, four brothers: Frederick, George, Richard, Laurence and brother-in-law, Rick Kvalheim. She is survived by, and will be sorely missed by her children: Lynn of Killeen, TX; Thomas of Davisburg MI; and Beth of Chino Valley, AZ; grandchildren: Richard, Heather, Jim, Kristin, Thomas and Christopher; great-grandchildren: Aleigha, Colton, Daniel, Roslyn and Autumn. Also surviving her are three sisters: Carol (Harald) of Fond du Lac, WI; Ardis of Dublin, CA and Karen (Robert) of Ashland WI and one brother: Dean (Marjorie), of New Richmond, WI. Others surviving and missing her are several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. A memorial service and burial were held at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Milwaukee on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel of the Flowers with visitation from 10-10:30. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association are preferred and appreciated.  Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.