Virginia Margaret Fisher

Oct. 8, 1926 - Dec. 18, 2007

GRAND ISLAND -- Virginia Margaret Fisher, 81, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007, at Riverside Lodge.

The family will be greeting friends at 10 a.m., Friday at Riverside Lodge in Grand Island.

There will be no visitation. Private burial will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell.

Virginia was born Oct. 8, 1926, at Holyoke, Colo., to William A. and Alma (Schnell) Hanke. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1945. While in high school, she worked as an operator for Northwestern Bell for two and a half years during World War II. Following the death of her mother she stayed at home to care for her brother and sister.

She was united in marriage to LaVerne D. Fisher on Feb. 11, 1949, in Denver, Colo. The couple made their home in McCook where they owned and operated a service station business. In 1953, LaVerne entered the Life Insurance Business and Virginia worked at his side as his secretary until their retirement. The couple moved to Grand Island in 1963. She was an Individual Marketing Consultant for Avon where she was inducted into the Avon President's Club for achieving the highest level of sales for three years in a row. Mr. Fisher preceded her in death on July 12, 2006.

She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of McCook. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Grand Island where she had numerous offices in Women's Ministry. She was past president of the Women's Mission Society and her church circle. She also taught fifth grade Sunday School for many years.

Virginia and LaVerne were members of the International Gideons for more than 50 years.

Her favorite avocations included researching genealogy for the Hanke and Fisher families and their ancestors as well as lovingly creating individual photo memory albums for all family members.

Virginia and LaVerne enjoyed traveling to various parts of the country and have visited all states but Alaska. They also traveled to Israel, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico and Acuapulco.

She is survived by three daughters: Judy Fisher of Houston, Texas, Kathy Fisher and husband, Mordecai Schwartz of Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Janice Kelly of Omaha; six grandchildren, Sean Kelly of Kennesaw, Ga., Chris Kelly of Florida, Robert Freeman of Austin, Texas, Katherine Freeman of Houston, Texas, Sasha Schwartz of New York City, N.Y., and Daniel Schwartz of Bryn Mawr, Pa.; two great-grandchildren, Chelsey Kelly of Kennesaw, Ga., and Isabella Freeman of Houston, Texas; two sisters, Wilda Willis and husband, Marvin of Amarillo, Texas and Mae Short of McCook; and brother, Dr. Vernon Hanke of McCook.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brother, Kenneth Hanke who was killed in battle on the U.S.S. Johnston during World War II and brother, William Hanke, Jr.

Memorials may be given to the Gideons.