Jeanne Marie Virtue 1935 - 2025
VIRTUE, BARNES, STEELE
Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/31/2025 at 07:29:06
Onawa Democrat
29 October 2025Jeanne Marie Virtue, 89, of Onawa, Iowa passed away Monday, September 29, 2025 at her home in Onawa.
A memorial visitation will be 2:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at the Goslar Funeral Home Chapel, Onawa, Iowa. A service of remembrance will be 4:00 P.M. Sunday, November 9, 2025 at the Goslar Chapel with Steve Jewett, officiating. A private family burial will be held at a later date at the Onawa Cemetery, Onawa, Iowa. Arrangements are under the direction of Goslar Funeral Home and Monuments, Onawa, Iowa.
Jeanne was born on October 20, 1935, in Centerville, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph Elmer Steele, Jr. and Dena Ellen (Barnes) Steele, both of Centerville, in Appanoose County, Iowa.
Jeanne was raised on a farm southeast of Centerville, Iowa and attended Star School, a one room country school through the 8th grade. There, she started drawing and had watercolor and creative writing experiences working with the two 4-H clubs.
After high school graduation, as Valedictorian of the 1954 class at Centerville High School, she attended Iowa State College (now University) at Ames, Iowa, and graduated in 1958 with a major in Home Economics Education and a minor in Technical Journalism.
She married Terence Craford Virtue, on August 3, 1958, at the First Congregational Church in Onawa, and moved with Terry to Columbus, Georgia, where she taught high school economics and biology and middle school general science, in the Muscogee County, Georgia, school system while her husband completed his military obligation.
After moving back to Iowa in 1960, she taught home economics at Castana Community School and worked part time at the Onawa Public Library before moving to the Monona County Abstract Company, where she became manager, a position she held for 27 years until her retirement.
She started her volunteer work with Burgess Health Center in 1969 and served as chairman of the Burgess Hospital Auxiliary for several terms. After retirement, she continued with her community service, working with the hospital painting wall.
Jeanne was chairman of the Onawa Kiwanis’s Museum complex; served as Club President, Lt. Governor, and Chairman of the “Young Children Priority One” Committee for the Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District for many years, and with her husband she attended 18 Kiwanis International Conventions. She also covered publicity for Onawa Kiwanis Club, Onawa Boy Scouts, and the Onawa Masonic Lodge, No. 223.
Jeanne also revived her interest in the creative art field, working in oils, acrylics, and pen/ink; exhibited at ventures for many years, and held an annual Christmas show at her studio with glass artist Sue Young and potter Paul Adamson.
Other volunteer activities included 6 years on the Alumni Board of Iowa State University’s Family and Consumer Science College, 15 years as secretary of the Onawa Park Board; Co-chair of Monona County’s Committee in celebration of the State of Iowa Bicentennial; Chairman of the fundraising committee for the Onawa Public Library addition; a 50 year plus member of Chapter EF, P.E.O.; and worked with Onawa Cub Scout Pack 332 starting in 1969, moving on to Onawa Boy Scout Troop 332, and serving as Merit Badge counselor, Advancement Chairman, and secretary of the troop committee. She received the Silver Beaver Award for service to scouting; and was especially proud to have worked with 20 plus Onawa area Boy scouts of Troop 332, who earned their Eagle Rank.
Jeanne and her husband enjoyed traveling, had visited all 50 states, Canada, Europe, China, Soviet Union, Australia, New Zealand, and the British Isles, and also made several trips to the Isle of Man to visit some of Terry’s distant relatives.
Survivors include her two sons, Mark (Sandra) Virtue of Kirkland, Washington, and Todd (Karoline Peralta) Virtue of Boston, Massachusetts; granddaughters, Kamilla Peralta-Virtue, Tamsen Peralta-Virtue, and Kaylei Virtue; grandson, Kai Virtue; sister-in-law, Diane Steele; two nieces, Heather Holborn and Kim Tucker; and several other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Steele, Jr. and Dena (Barnes) Steele; husband, Terence “Terry” Virtue; sister, Dr. E. Joanne Melody; and brother, James L. Steele.
Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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