She graduated from Denfeld High School in 1941. Virginia married Charles Karjalainen in 1948 and together they raised six children.
She was employed at Standard Oil Company and later Curtis Oil Company as a bookkeeper for many years.
Virginia was a long-time member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church at Twig, where she served as treasurer for many years. She was also a long-time member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Virginia enjoyed camping trips with her family, playing solitaire, doing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time at the cabin. She started cross-country skiing in her 50’s and won third place novice finisher in the Finlandia Sprints.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 1995; second husband, Walter Mansergh in 2013; and sister, Marian Robert.
Virginia is survived by her children, Anne (Doug) St. Mary of Corvallis, Mt; Barbara Bryson of Hillsboro, OR; Jan ( Dan) Anderson of Twig; Mary (Ken) Pederson of Raytown, MO; Ruth (Todd) Bossert of Battleground, WA; and James (Bianca) Karjalainen of Portland, OR; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; sister, Barbara Downs; and brother, Clifford Hay Jr.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Beehive Homes and Essentia Hospice team for the support and care they have provided over the past 1 ½ years . In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Twig, MN or SMDC Foundation (St. Mary’s Hospice).
Visitation: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Monday February 13, 2017 at Bell Brothers Funeral Home, 601 N 56th Ave. W., Duluth. The visitation will continue from 10:00 until the 11:00 a.m. Funeral Service Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 6537 Industrial Road, Twig. Interment will be in Oneota Cemetery. Please leave a memory or Virginia or words of support for the family at www.bellbrothersfuneralhome.com .
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