Source: Virginia Katherine DeLue Obituary

Description:

Virginia (Ginny) Ferguson, 94, of Orcutt, California went home to be with her Lord Jesus at Marian Hospital on March 26, 2007. She was surrounded by loved ones. She was born in Denver, Colorado to Julia Lee Nora Etherton DeLue and Leonard Alexander DeLue. Her mother was raised in Carbondale, Illinois in a family of twelve children. They owned the Bank of Carbondale and were very active in the underground railroad during the Civil War. He mother also attended Normal School (college).

Virginia's father left Pennsylvania on horseback at age twelve with two friends, joining up with a wagon train and settling in Denver, where he met his future wife, Julia. They had two children, a son Leonard Jr. and daughter, Virginia. Her father was a sheriff and the first Police Commissioner of Denver. He was a well-known law and order man who cleaned up the opium dens in Denver. He founded the Leonard DeLue Secret Service Investigators and also an Armored Car Agency, that today is owned by Wells Fargo. Virginia was the apple of his eye. After he passed when she was twelve, her mother decided to travel and at 14 years old, Virginia became her driver. It's hard to imagine, but the first time she drove, because of necessity, was down Pike's Peak.

Virginia attended East Denver High school and graduated from Long Beach High School in California when she was 16 years old. She decided to pursue an Engineering Degree, initially attending the University of Arizona, then transferring to the Colorado School of Mines in Boulder, Colorado. She was the only female in the class and excelled as mathematics was always easy for her. Stanley M. Ferguson was in that class. It was love at first sight and he proposed on their first date. On May 9, 1931, when she was 18, they eloped to Golden, Colorado. Stan graduated that June with an engineering degree. She always said she got her M.R.S. degree.

Stanley landed a job with the Westinghouse Elevator Division and his career took them to Chicago, IL, Ridgewood, NJ, Kenmore, NY, St. Clair Shores, MI, and Mt. Lebanon, PA. They had a son, Stanley Jr. and a daughter, Pattie. They had a wonderful and happy family life. She was a devoted wife and mother and was very involved with her family and friends. She also was a fabulous hostess. When her husband retired in 1972, they headed to Santa Barbara, California. They were madly in love for forty-seven years until her beloved 'Fergie' passed into Glory in 1977.

That year she moved to Solvang, CA to be near her daughter and family. Ginny, as her friends called her, was involved with the Santa Ynez Valley Women's Club and the United Volunteer Services for several years, at one point managing the UVS thrift store. She was an accomplished knitter and designer having taught knitting when she lived in Pittsburg, PA. Her beautiful knit suits were part of who she was. She loved playing bridge and played several times a week until she was well into her nineties; her last game was two weeks before she died. Her bridge pals were very dear to her and a large part of her life. The afternoon bridge games were full of laughter and fun. She kept her mind keen with bridge and game shows on TV.

Beloved mother of son, Stanley M. Ferguson, Jr and his wife, Susan, of Bakersfield, CA and daughter, Patsu Pommerening and her husband, Howard, of Orcutt, CA; grandmother of three granddaughters, Tristan Gronquist of Santa Barbara, CA; Carrie Higbie of Ridgeland, MS, and Kelley Matthews of Bernville, PA; two grandsons, Daniel Tautges of Leucadia, CA and Stanley M. Ferguson III of Arlington, TN; eight great-grandchildren, Collynne Tyler, Tommy and Michael Ferguson, Stephanie Matthews, Gavin and Owen Gronquist, and Danny and Alec Tautges; nephew, Leonard DeLue of Albuquerque, N.M., three step-grandsons, Michael (Susan), William (Keri) and Edward Pommerening, three step-granddaughters, Sandra, Stacey and Anne Walter, eight step-great-grandchildren and two great-great step-grandchildren.

At her request, there will be no services. She knew where she was going and she wanted people to remember her as she was. Her ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of Santa Barbara. She lived a long and happy life and was content to the end. She will be missed by those who knew her, and will certainly not be forgotten.

Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Two of her favorites were the Cancer Society and Shelter Services for Women.

Type: Public Announcement

Date: 2007-03-28

URL: http://www.etherton.net/S1014 - VirginiaDeLueObit.pdf

Pages that use this source:

Leonard Alexander DeLue

Virginia Katherine DeLue

Julia Lee Nora Etherton

Stanley M. Ferguson


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