Virginia Mae (Jaeger) Link, 1916-2014

LINK, KOCH, JAEGER, NADERMANN, BEACOM, MURPHY, GOLDSMITH, KOPP, YAGER, SCHROEDER, LARRISON

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 2/25/2015 at 21:51:41

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Tuesday, May 20, 2014

DYERSVILLE, Iowa - Virginia Mae Link, 98, of Dyersville, was called to heaven on Saturday, May 17, 2014, at her home peacefully surrounded by her loving family.

Friends and relatives of Virginia may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at Reiff Funeral Home in Farley. Services for Virginia will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, May 22, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Farley. Burial will be held in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Farley at a later date.

Virginia was born March 26, 1916, daughter of William and Celia (Koch) Jaeger in Dyersville. She weighed only 3 pounds. She attended St. Francis Xavier Grade and High School, graduating in 1933. She then attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she received her teacher's training. Virginia taught at the country school in Luxemburg.

On July 12, 1937, she married Walter D. Link in Dubuque. They farmed for many years, and Virginia returned to teaching after receiving her B.S. degree from the University of Dubuque in 1959. In 1971, she received her Master of Arts degree from Loras College. She taught kindergarten for Western Dubuque for almost 30 years. After retirement, she and Walter built and operated Rolling Knolls Golf Course. She also substitute taught and volunteered at St. Francis Xavier Grade School. As she was not one to be idle, she taught piano lessons from her home until her 97th year. Her piano students were like a second family to her. She so enjoyed both the students and their parents.

Virginia was a reserved, very determined, hardworking person who cherished her faith, family and friends. She took advantage of the gifts that God gave to her. She had many interests and hobbies and in many cases was self-taught. She liked to quilt, do needlework, read, garden, can vegetables, and play cards and games, especially with her great-grandchildren. She enjoyed the simple things in life, like sitting on her porch on a sunny afternoon listening to the music or watching the birds. She was content with having very little. There would not be an energy shortage if everyone lived as she did. Virginia was an inspiration for her family and instilled her values through all the generations. She was loved and will be missed.

She was a member of St. Joseph's Parish in Farley.

She is survived by four children, Genevieve Nadermann, Beverly (Jack) Beacom, Sheila (Tim) Murphy and Walt Jr. (Kathleen) Link; her beloved grandchildren, Natalie (Dan) Goldsmith, Donald (Bonnie) Nadermann, Daniel Nadermann, Kellanne (Mike) Kopp, Daniel (Michele) Beacom, Ryan (Tiernee) Murphy, Michael Murphy, Mark (Anne) Murphy, Heather (Craig) Yager, Amanda (Pete) Schroeder, and Stacy (PJ) Larrison; 17 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Lee Jaeger and a niece and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Link, on Feb. 12, 2003; her parents; a infant brother, Dale Jaeger; a son-in-law, Robert Nadermann; and a granddaughter, Rebecca Link.

A Virginia Mae Link memorial fund has been established.