Virginia Ward

Virginia Ward, 95, of Mason City, passed away on January 21, 2021 at MercyOne Medical Center North Iowa. No services will be held because of the virus and health issues in the family. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com or cards may be forwarded to the family at 14 Sumac Rd, Mason City, Iowa.

Virginia was born on March 15, 1925 in Fayette, Iowa. She was the daughter of Thelma and Merwin Doughty. She graduated from Fayette High School and then attended Upper Iowa University for two years and acquired her teaching license. She started teaching in Thornton, Iowa and there she met her husband, Don Ward. Virginia taught in different schools over the years, Nora Springs, Hanlontown and Mason City Schools. She loved teaching and still heard from several students over the years. When Virginia retired she bought a camper and started traveling. She worked in several different National Parks, but her favorite was Yellowstone. She traveled in Europe, in several different countries.

When she traveled she was always in a hurry to get back to her family. She loved spending time with them. She loved quilting, biking, birding, hiking (favorite hiking place was the Grand Canyon which she hiked three times.) She belonged to the Touring Club and worked at Lime Creek. She was an avid Eastern Star member for years. Many of her Saturday afternoons she could be found giving tours at the Stockman House. Virginia loved life and lived it to the fullest.

Survivors are her daughters, Bev (Bob) Horner, Rebecca Mackin, Jennifer Leisinger, Donna (Pete Rosenthal) Sklavenitis and Mary Beth Coon (friend Mike Jewell); grandchildren, Tracy and Jeff Skogen, Heather and Shannon Kropp, Kristin and Aaron Goddard, Jeff and Lindsay Horner, Sara Lincoln, Abby and Mike Widman, Allison Harris, Amy Leisinger, Abby and Mike Ackerman, Phillip Sklavenitis, Chad and Terry Coon, Allison and Eric Odegard, Elyse Willer, Maggie Ward and Caleb, and Carly and Drew Cabala; she also had 26 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; son, Frosty Ward; brother, Tom Doughty and his wife, Doris.