Virginia Haigler

Virginia Haigler
Virginia Rosalind Haigler, 90, formerly of Unionville, MO, died December 31, 2008 in Omaha, NE.
Miss Haigler was born September 23, 1918, in Unionville, MO, to William Dolphus and Ruth (Morgan) Haigler. She was preceded in death by her father in 1967, her mother in 1997 and her sister, Crystal Valdeen Mowrer, in 1999. She is survived by two nieces, Linda R. McCollom and husband Richard of Omaha, NE; Susan Anderson and husband Michael of Prairie Village, KS; and a nephew, J. Michael Mowrer and wife Jean of Kennett, MO; and her brother-in-law, John L. Mowrer of Columbia, MO. Also surviving are five great nieces and nephews, William Mowrer, Jane Cook, Emily McCollom, Lisa McCollom, and Erik Anderson; and four great-great nieces, Allison and Hannah Mowrer and Elizabeth and Morgan Cook.
Virginia graduated from Unionville High School, the University of Northern Iowa (formerly Iowa State Teachers College) in 1940 with a degree in physical education, and Scarritt College in Nashville, TN, with a master’s degree in Social Group Work. Prior to her career with the YWCA, she taught in Udell, IA, and was a social worker in Washington, D.C. Virginia held administrative positions with YWCA’s throughout the United States. She served as the director of YWCA in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Harrisburg, PA. Her nieces and nephews remember vacations to visit her and Mike remembers his first professional baseball game in Detroit while visiting Aunt Ginny. As part of her work with YWCA, Virginia taught sports and continued to give swimming trips to great nieces and nephews as well as later giving golf tips to friends at Brighton Gardens of Omaha. Virginia was always considerate, thoughtful, and helpful. Her many charitable contributions include an endowed scholarship at the University of Northern Iowa for a student studying the field of leisure services.
During her working years and after her retirement, Virginia enjoyed traveling. She and her mother took trips around the country to see new sights and to visit relatives. These trips were recorded so they could be remembered later. Like her mother before her, Virginia kept postcards and cards that she received from friends and family. Upon her move from Unionville, to Omaha, Virginia returned those cards to the senders. They brought joy again to those senders. Virginia, herself, was good at remembering past travels. When family members were about to take a trip to Chicago in 2003, she reminisced in a letter about the events and sights of her family’s trip to Chicago in 1933 for the World’s Fair.
Upon retirement to Unionville in 1975, Virginia became active in the Unionville United Methodist Church and the Putnam County Garden Club. Among many church activities, she was recognized by the church for her tireless dedication in preserving the history and heritage of the church. The plaque presented to Virginia states, “She embodies the principle of selfless love as presented in Micah 6:8—‘And what does the Lord require but to be fair and just and merciful and to walk humbly with your God.’” As a member of the Putnam County Garden Club, Virginia enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening. She shared flowers and vegetables, cuttings, flower arranging techniques, encouraged others to try new plants, promoted flowers and gardens through the library and fair, and kept a history of the club. Virginia was selected by her peers to receive an Award of Honor for All Around Excellence. She was a member of the first Putnam County Master Gardener Class in 1998.
Virginia was named to the “Order of Distinguished Older Missourians” in 1997, being chosen for the special care she gave to her mother, Ruth Haigler. That care for twenty years made it possible for Mrs. Haigler to remain in her home until she passed away at the age of 101.
Virginia always had an interest in genealogy and pursued it actively even in her mid to late 80’s. She was a charter member of the Putnam County Historical Society. When computers became such a part of society in the 1990’s, Virginia was eager to have one of her own to send emails to family and friends and to further her activities and interests. She was always actively learning.
Family was very important to Virginia, and she expressed care and concern for her immediate family and extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins. She had a profound interest in others—in their activities and interests. Virginia seemed to turn conversations toward the others and their concerns—never focusing on herself. She had the ability to calm those in need and was always generous in sharing her time, talent, and resources. She was positive in her attitude and did not speak or encourage negative comments about others. Virginia made an impact on those who knew her and she will be missed, but always remembered.