Mrs. CHARLES (Virginia E. McPherson) WERDEN 1926-2006

OWEN, MCPHERSON, SINCLAIR, NOLTING, BURNETT

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 4/22/2006 at 21:22:15

Virginia Werden

Virginia E. (McPherson) Werden, 79, of Waukon, Iowa, died Wednesday, March 22, 2006, at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in La Crosse, Wis. Graveside services were held Saturday, March 25 at Buckhorn Cemetery in Maquoketa, Iowa, with Rev. Ruth Ann Scott officiating and Carson Funeral Home of Maquoketa arranging. Visitation was held locally at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Virginia Esther was born April 10, 1926, in rural Maquoketa, Iowa, the daughter of Daniel and Virginia (Owen) McPherson. She attended school in Baldwin and graduated from Maquoketa High School.

October 24, 1943, she married Charles A. Werden in San Luis Obispo, Calif., where he was stationed in the service. Following World War II they returned to northeast Iowa where they lived in several communities, including Fayette, Maynard, and Waukon.

While living in Maynard in the 1950s, Virginia was an active member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church where she was a Sunday School teacher, youth group leader, past president of United Methodist Women, leader of the Esther Circle, and served on the Parish Committee. She was also a past president of the Legion Auxiliary and a Cub Scout den mother. Virginia enjoyed staying active and was a member of Ada Reading Circle, Eastern Star, and Westgate Study Club, along with several bridge and card clubs.

She moved to Waukon in 1961 and worked in food service at the high school. In 1971 she moved to Fayette where she worked with her son Mark in Werden’s Department Store. She also enjoyed working at Stepps Melon Farm for 19 years and served many years as a home health aid throughout Fayette County. Virginia retired in 1991 and moved back to Maynard where she lived until moving to Waukon in 2001.

Survivors include four children, Vicki (Roger) Sinclair of Gravois Mills, Mo., Faye (Gary) Nolting of Waukon, Mark Werden of Postville, Iowa, and Bruce Werden of Las Vegas, N.V.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews and nieces who she was very close to.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Charles, who died in 1996; a daughter, Gayle Sue Werden; a grandson, Todd Nolting; a great-grandson, Cade Nolting; four brothers, Kenneth, Earl, Dean, and Don McPherson; and a sister, Vera Burnett.

Waukon Standard, March 30, 2006