Virginia L. Cosmillo

Born February 13, 1937, in Fox Lake, MN, to George and Alice Lohse, Virginia lived a life defined by faith, family, and the countless children she taught and deeply cared for in the public school system and at various daycares she worked at over the years.

She was one of eight children. Her love of reading started at an early age. As a little girl, she would read at night in bed, under her covers, with a flashlight. She and her siblings had lots of fun growing up playing various games outside, board games indoors, sliding on the snow in the winter, and swimming in the lake in the summer. She spent her teenage years working at a little General Store. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Mankato State University, displaying her grit and determination by cleaning house and babysitting for a family to help pay for her school. She later received her master’s degree in education at the University of Kansas. She was viewed as a “guiding light” and inspiration for her two sisters getting into college. She married her beloved husband, Edward, in 1959 in Minnesota, and they would go on to remain married for nearly 60 years before he passed away in 2019. Their marriage was one of devotion and companionship and several family camping trips until they could afford to take much more extravagant trips to places such as Australia and an Alaskan Cruise.

Virginia and Edward had daughters, Lisa and Renee, in Minnesota before moving to Kansas City, where they would make their home and eventually have son, Tony. They would go on to live in the Kansas City area for the rest of their lives. She often bragged about her kids, and everyone who met her knew how proud she was of her children and how much she loved her family. In fact, few conversations with Virginia went long without mention of them.

Virginia possessed the looks of a beautiful movie star, and an incredible wit and sense of humor to match, well into her old age. She was exceptionally intelligent and tremendously gifted in the art of music. She played the piano and the organ and sang in the choir at various churches she attended over the years. She loved to play classical and gospel music on her record player while she cooked or cleaned the house or simply while relaxing. She was an avid reader, and her book of choice was usually a good murder mystery. She also spent innumerable hours reading and studying the Bible. She loved going to church and worshipping with fellow Christ-followers.

She was a fantastic cook and very frugal. Known to her children as the Queen of Coupons and lover of garage sales, she made bargain hunting an art form. She was born toward the end of the Great Depression, and she told of a story of growing up, her and her siblings lived in an old boxcar for several years. Although they did not have much, her and her seven siblings and parents shared a deep and dedicated commitment to one another that she later instilled in her own family.

Virginia, or Grandma Ginger as she was fondly referred to by many both inside and outside the family, was adored by her grandchildren, whom she adored right back. She loved making silly faces to get them to laugh, and she in turn laughed easily and often. She spent countless hours with them, doing jigsaw puzzles, having "tea and crumpets," playing games, and baking sugar cookies at Christmas time. Grandma Ginger loved to make popcorn and watch movies with her grandkids, Pride and Prejudice and mysteries being among her favorites. When son, Tony, had triplets, she put her life on hold to help care for them. This type of love and sacrifice was in her DNA and will never be forgotten. As her grandchildren grew older, she would keep in touch with them often, writing letters in her beautiful cursive script. She also made an impact on her great grandchildren, whom she spent a lot of time with on summer vacations.

Virginia is survived by her sister, Helen (Dennis) Klenz; her daughters, Lisa (Richard) Cosmillo, and Renee Maassen; her son, Tony (Jenny) Cosmillo; her grandsons, Nicholas (Chrissy) Strite, Michael (Morgan) Irwin, Phillip Irwin, and Joseph Cosmillo; her granddaughters, Ashley (Jacob) Rich, Claire (Cameron) Young, Molly and Alyssa Cosmillo, and Taylor Gordey; great grandchildren, Esther, Isaac, Julie, Britney, Gia, Elovie and Athena.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Cosmillo; parents, George and Alice Lohse; her sisters, Betty Kramer and Doris Stokes; her brothers, Donald, Merle, Bruce, and Dale Lohse; and daughter-in-law, Jennifer.

A Celebration of Life and Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, October 15, at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ascend Hospice, 4550 W. 109th Street, Suite 210, Overland Park, KS 66211.