The second of three children born to Arnold and Clida Schwartz on January 22, 1928 in Paradise Valley, Nevada, Virginia was raised on the family cattle ranch in Paradise Valley until the family's move to Ogden, Utah, in 1936. A graduate of Weber College (now Weber University) and the University of Utah, she served as a primary school teacher for nearly sixty years, from 1950 to 2008. First in Utah, then in Japan, Fort Collins, Colorado, Thornton, Colorado, and finally for the Denver Public Schools, Virginia taught many hundreds of children, and the experience of learning from her remains a cherished memory for many. Virginia was more than liked and respected by her colleagues; she was valued by many of them as a close friend.
Virginia had a lifelong thirst for learning and adventure. A summer-long trip to Europe in 1953 with her mother and her sister, Lea Dean, was followed by a two-year assignment to teach the children of military personnel in Japan from 1954 to 1956. Returning to Utah to teach again, Virginia soon after met her future husband, Marvin Thomsic, while on a skiing trip to Jackson, Wyoming. Several years of courtship were followed by their marriage in 1962 and a move to Fort Collins, Colorado.
In 1965, their only child, Tracy, was born; then, in 1970, the family moved to Denver, Colorado, where Virginia would live for the next 43 years, teaching at Bertha Heid Elementary School in Thornton, Colorado (beginning in the fall of 1969), and after retirement, substitute teaching with the Denver Public Schools at many campuses, chiefly Gust and Sabin elementary schools, where she taught primarily kindergarten, first, and second grades.
Marvin and Virginia shared a passion for bridge, at which they were both outstanding players (and Marvin a sometime professional); Virginia continued to play until her final days. In addition to bridge, Virginia was an avid golfer, continuing to play until her final year; an expert knitter, who knitted many sweaters and other items for her family and friends; and a voracious reader, who never tired of consuming another good whodunit.
Following Marvin's passing in early 2004 after a long illness, Virginia renewed her travels. Trips included a visit to her family's Italian roots in Sagliano Micca, Italy, reestablishing contact with a number of her mother's relatives, as well as a return to Paradise Valley and Winnemucca, Nevada for a Schwartz family reunion and many other trips to visit relatives and friends. There were also tours of Greece, Egypt, and China, and cruises of Hawaii, Panama Canal and the Caribbean, and finally, Alaska. Meanwhile, at home, Virginia was active in her community, volunteering for the Lakewood Police Dept., attending local bridge tournaments, and sharing activities with her many friends from her teaching days, as well as her neighbors, many of whom were long-time friends as well. These good friends and neighbors share her family's grief at Virginia's passing.
When the progression of her illness became apparent, Virginia decided to move to San Francisco to be close to her daughter Tracy and son-in-law Matt Lusher, moving into the Carlisle retirement community in December 2013.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents; her oldest brother, Elmo, and his son, Elmo Jr.; her sister, Lea Dean (Deanie) Parsons; her husband, Marvin Thomsic and his parents, Michael and Elizabeth Thomsic, and brothers Michael (and wife Susan) and John Thomsic. She is survived by her daughter, Tracy Thomsic (and husband Matt Lusher); her brother Fred Allan Schwartz (and wife Gwynne); their children, Chad Schwartz, Scott Schwartz (and wife Roxanne) and Pier (and husband Kerby) Kerbaugh; Deanie's children David Parsons (and wife Chris), Robert Parsons (and wife Melinda) and Ginny Cramblit (and husband Scott); Elmo's daughter, Judy Schonlau, and her son Christian; sister-in-law Lisa Hilliard (and husband Russ); Lisa's children Rusty Hilliard (and wife Kim) and Chris Hilliard (and wife Karyn); Michael Thomsic's children, Beth and Michael Thomsic IV; and 14 great-nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 18 at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery, 7777 W. 29 th Ave. in Wheat Ridge.
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