Virginia Whittom

VIRGINIA WHITTOM

Manchester

Virginia Ann Whittom, 67, passed away Thursday, May 8, 2014, at home peacefully and surrounded by her family. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 11, at Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home. 925 W. Main St., Manchester. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, and visitation one hour before services at Living Hope Bible Church, 201 W. Walnut St., Eldon. Burial will be at Fiedler Cemetery, rural Eldon.

Virginia was born June 3, 1946, to Raymond and Thelma Rupe in Ottumwa, Iowa. She graduated in 1964 from Cardinal High School in Eldon, where she participated in band and chorus. Ginny was married for 38 years to her high school sweetheart, James Slutts, from Dec. 26, 1964, until his death May 3, 2002.

Ginny was a trailblazer, well ahead of her time, working with keypunch and computers at the Rock Island Railroad in the 1970s, then as a top notch sales rep of a plumbing, pipe valves and fittings company for 30 years. She learned many computer skills and eventually learned how lucky in love she was when she tried out this new thing called match.com.

On Sept. 18, 2004, Ginny married her "match," Don Whittom. They retired and moved to Manchester, where they quickly became known as the couple with the beautiful flower garden – and not a weed in sight. For a few years they were the "flooded house." Now they're known as that cute house on the bike path on the south edge of town with goats and chickens, where you can get melons, walnuts, maple syrup, tomatoes, beans, eggs, and more – just leave your coins – on your honor – in the coffee can.

Ginny was a blue-ribbon quilter. If you have one of her quilts or wall hangings, you are blessed. She loved her flower garden and tended it to the joy of bikers and walkers along the path, each was blessed. Her strawberry patch grew magic berries and if you are lucky enough to have a couple jars from the last batch of jam stashed away, you are blessed. And her Christmas fudge, if you were ever lucky enough to try just a bite, you know you were blessed.

Don and Ginny worshipped at Delhi Methodist Church, sold veggies at Farmers Market and played a fierce game of Dominoes. They loved to entertain friends, youth groups and family with bonfires at the big fire pit at the back of their property – there would always be award-winning deviled eggs, tubes for sledding or splashing, and plenty of marshmallows. If you experienced these things with her, you were blessed.

But none were so blessed as those she leaves behind: her husband, Don Whittom; her parents, Raymond and Thelma Rupe; daughters, Teri Dhooge (Brian) Connell and Jennifer (Joseph) Mauritz; grandchildren, Eric (Amanda) D'Hooge, Michael D'Hooge, Jenna (Luke) Burt, Jamie Mauritz and Megan Mauritz; baby great-grandson, Christian Lucas Burt; sisters, MaryEllen (Marvin) Creech, Janet (Cecil) Dale, Kathy Solverson and Carla Blank; and many nieces and nephews.

We were blessed to have her to love and to be loved by her. To be by her side and to know without a doubt no matter what, the biggest heart in the world chose us to love. We were blessed.

Memorials may be made to the family.

Please sign the online guest book for Ginny at www.murdochfuneral home.com under obituaries.