Virginia Grace, 94, formerly of Riceville, Iowa, passed away January 29, 2020, at the Gundersen Harmony Care Center in Harmony, Minn., where she lived since 2014. Virginia was born April 18, 1925, in the family home to Niels and Laura (Sorinson) Kristiansen. She attended rural school and graduated from McIntire High School in 1941.
On October 18, 1945, Virginia married Earl Grace in Mason City, Iowa. Earl and Virginia started their married lives with Earl farming and Virginia teaching. She taught at the Oakdale Country School in Howard County, Iowa, from 1943 to 1945 and the Little Cedar Consolidated School in Little Cedar, Iowa, from 1946 to 1950. She went on to teach at the Riceville Community School District in Riceville, Iowa, from 1965 to 1988. While teaching and raising their family, Virginia decided to attend college and received a BA from Upper Iowa University in 1972.
Virginia enjoyed music, sewing, and cooking, but especially enjoyed time with Earl dancing, golfing, and doing things with their family. She was a lifetime member of the National Education Association and a member of the Methodist Church.
She is survived by her daughter Laura Armstrong of Harmony, son Doug (Janice) Grace of Rochester, granddaughter MaryBeth (Tim) Ostrom and great-grandson Graysen Ostrom of Harmony; daughter-in-law Suzanne Schmidt of Mason City, a special great-niece, Kristian Schofield of Riceville; and many nieces and nephews.
Virginia was preceded in death by her husband Earl, daughter Mary Grace, son-in-law Carroll Armstrong; her parents, Niels and Laura Kristiansen; and sisters Ruby Nolte, Mabel Hackbarth, and Connie Schofield.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on February 7, 2020, at the McIntire United Methodist Church in McIntire, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 1-2 pm at the church prior to the service. Burial will be in Wayne Cemetery in rural McIntire. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Virginia Grace Memorial Fund at the Gundersen Harmony Care Center.