Virginia Orendorf Obituary
Virginia Orendorf (née Davenport) died peacefully surrounded by her family on September 12, 2024. She was 85. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher to students from the Midwest to Moscow.
Virginia was born on June 4, 1939, in Anamosa, Iowa to Buster and Vierlyn (née McGreevy) Davenport, and had three siblings, Dixie, Carolyn and Lance. She is proceeded in death by her father, mother and sister Dixie. Virginia attended St. Patrick's Catholic School, Anamosa High School, and The University of Iowa, where she earned her BA in education, beginning a career that endeared her to countless students at St. Gabriel School in Mentor, OH, and St. Edward School in Chillicothe, IL as well as the Anglo-American School in Moscow, Russia, where her students adorned her with the unofficial title of "Substitute of the Century.".
Virginia met her husband Tom on a blind date while in her final year at the University of Iowa. She knew that night she met the man she would marry, and on June 23, 1962, they were married at St. Patrick's Church in Anamosa, beginning a wonderful partnership lasting 62 years until her death. During that time Virginia and Tom lived in Oxnard, CA, N. Kingston, RI, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Mentor, OH, Peoria, IL and Moscow, Russia, retiring to Oconomowoc in 2007.
Virginia played the piano beautifully, teaching it to students in her home while in Mentor, and creating countless memories for her family while playing and singing Easter Parade and White Christmas during holiday gatherings. She and her sister Dixie performed as a duo, The Davenport Girls, in their childhood singing in close harmony across eastern Iowa.
Virginia received great joy from gardening, and her glorious plants and flowers would be a delight to see come to life in the summer months, each plant with a meaning based on name, or origin, gifted from her mother or mother-in-law's garden and replanted where she lived.
Virginia's devotion to her family and her faith were strong, and she served her St. Jerome Oconomowoc parish, as well as other parishes, as a member of St. Vincent DePaul, Faith Formation and Bereavement Committees, and participated in Perpetual Adoration in her retirement years. Her children, parents, deceased and living relatives received endless unconditional love and support spiritually in her daily dinner blessing and through her tireless actions to nurture, comfort and assist.
Virginia is survived by her husband Thomas- Oconomowoc, WI; son Bruce (Michelle)- Scottsdale, AZ; son, Joseph (Gina)- Pewaukee, WI; daughter, Gretchen (Eamonn Stafford) -Wexford, Ireland; and 5 grandchildren- Henry, Sophie, Olivia, Eli, and Tommy; sister, Caroyln Foley-Portola Valley, CA; brother, Lance Davenport- Fairfield, CT; brother- in- law, Donald Nacke-Henderson, NV; sister-in-law, Mary Moore-Eldridge, IA and many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Visitation will be held Friday September 20, 2024, at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 995 S. Silver Lake St. Oconomowoc, WI 53066 from 10:00 am until time of eulogy at 11:45 and Mass of Christian Burial at 12 pm (noon). Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Anamosa, IA.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorials to support St. Vincent DePaul Society or St. Jerome Faith Formation Committee.
