Virginia Gottschalk

Virginia Jeanne Gottschalk, 92, died on June 30, 2015, at Manor Court in Peoria, IL. Born January 11, 1923, in Chicago to George H. Foss and Lulu (Daniels) Foss, she married Arthur Gottschalk on November 20, 1943 in Chicago. He preceded her in death on December 3, 2001.

Surviving are her six children, Sandra (and Dennis, deceased) Hirstein of Dubuque, IA; Linda (and Robert) Garro of Glenview, IL; Christine (and John) McAfee of Homewood, IL; James (and Bernadette) Gottschalk of Sarasota, FL; Robert (and Becca Deitrick) Gottschalk of Germantown Hills, IL; and Mary (and Thomas) Straiker of St. Charles, IL; eight grandchildren: Suzanne Tobin; Jeffrey Garro; Anne Hemmings; Kate Mayefske; A.J. Gottschalk; Keefer Gottschalk; Carolyn and Christine Straiker; and five great-grandchildren: Grace and Erin Tobin; Asher and Morgan Hemmings; and Gemma Mayefske. Jean was the last of her siblings, preceded in death by her sister Ruth Deichstetter; and brothers, Richard, Elmer, and Robert Foss, all of the Chicago area.

Leaving Chicago in 1960, Jean and Art moved to their home on Kimberly Drive in Peoria where they raised their growing family in a community they came to love. They were among the first members of Willow Knolls Country Club and also the newly formed St. Vincent de Paul parish, where Jean was a life-long volunteer, who helped with parish meals and cleaned the church weekly.

Jean was a loving wife and mother, who gave her children the encouragement they needed, while also finding time to do things she loved. Whether square-dancing, bowling, singing with a chorus, mastering new recipes, or learning new crafts and skills, Jean immersed herself in life. A never-wavering Cubs fan, she came to the love of golf later in life and continued to play with her league into her 80’s.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, Jean dearly loved her siblings and her nieces and nephews. She also formed many life-long friendships. In retirement, she and Art regularly traveled with the women (and their husbands) who had been her girlhood friends. When she returned home, she was always ready to get back to playing golf with her Peoria friends, enjoying Cornstalk Theater productions, or going out with her dinner group.

Jean was good at loving people and enjoying what life offered. She was a beautiful woman, made more so because she was, as Art once told her in an anniversary letter, “…kind, loving, and thoughtful…fun-loving, charming, and an interesting companion.” She was well-loved by those who knew her best, and she reciprocated by loving them in return.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, July 10, 2015 at the Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home at 2408 W Willow Knolls Road in Peoria with visitation one hour prior to the service beginning at 10:00 am. The Rev. Jack Thompson will officiate. Entombment will follow at Resurrection Mausoleum.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude.