Virginia (Ginny) Stewart, 88, of Helena, passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at The Legacy Assisted Living in Helena, MT. She was born June 19, 1929 in McLaughlin, S.D., to Andrew and Ludvina Schatz. She was the youngest daughter in a family of five children. She taught in a one room country schoolhouse in rural South Dakota before meeting and marrying the love of her life, Harold N. Stewart, on Aug. 12, 1950 in McLaughlin, S.D. They were married on the steps of the church and then they were “off to their greatest adventure” as grandpa used to say. Harold was hired as a highway engineer for the Federal Highway Administration and the couple moved to Oregon. Ginny worked as a beautician as the couple worked at expanding their family, having three children. In 1960 the family was transferred to Santa Fe, N.M. where they enjoyed the warm weather for 10 years before being transferred, in 1969, to Helena so Harold could serve as Federal Highway Administrator. In 1985 Virginia started working for the telephone company Mountain Bell, where she loved being a phone operator. Her daughter Nancy and niece Sandy also worked for the telephone company in Denver and they talked daily about all the changes as the company underwent consolidations and mergers. In retirement, Harold and Virginia enjoyed each other’s company while traveling to Arizona and New Mexico as snowbirds in the winter months. She loved bingo, watching baseball on tv, gardening, shopping, debating politics, voting opposite of Harold, and especially traveling the country. She would often joke that she was going to buy a motorhome and drive off into the sunset.
She was a member of the BPOE Lodge 193 of Helena, Eagles Lodge #16 of Helena, and the VFW.
She is survived by her children Randall Stewart of Helena and Scott (Sheryl) Stewart of Pocatello, ID; grandchildren Kelly (Wade) Bachmeier of Mandan, ND, Christopher and Joseph Stewart of Helena, and Meghan Stewart of Berlin, Germany, Jason and Nicole Cox of Aurora, CO, and Savanna (Bob) Richmond of Pocatello, ID. Great-Grandchildren, Tytus, Ashlyn and Parker Bachmeier of Mandan, ND and Destiny, Sylvester and Scarlett Cox of Aurora, CO and Josh and Johanis Cox also of Aurora, CO.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, her husband Harold, daughter, Nancy, and great-grandson Sylis Cox.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, March 9th, at St. Mary Catholic Community, 1700 Missoula Ave., Helena. A rite of committal will follow Mass at Montana State Veterans Cemetery, Ft. Harrison. A reception will follow the burial, in the family’s home.
Please visit below to offer condolences or share a memory of Virginia.
Service Schedule
Funeral Mass
1:00 p.m
Friday March 9, 2018
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave.
Helena, Montana 59601
Rite of Committal
Following the Mass
Friday March 9, 2018
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Ft. Harrison, Montana
Service Schedule
Funeral Mass
1:00 p.m
Friday March 9, 2018
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave.
Helena, Montana 59601
Rite of Committal
Following the Mass
Friday March 9, 2018
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Ft. Harrison, Montana
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Carol Culham says
Ginny loved to sit at the end of the bar at the Eagle’s 16 and watch and listen to peoples’ varying conversations. She found it “fascinating”. She was comfortable there at first because of the female bartenders and was watched over and loved by all of us regulars. Thank You Ginny.
Crystal (Strainer) Gray says
I miss Ginny, She was my savior at the Legacy, we would visit after I had visited with my own mother. She was always telling me her happy memories. Travels and adventures. We had some great conversations. She helped me stuff over 200 Easter eggs, we ate pizza, had drinks and did a lot of laughing. We enjoyed her coming to our house for dinners. Thanksgiving was the best we all went around the table saying what we are thankful for and she told me she was thankful for me. We did our shopping trips and I took 3 of them and boy I had a hard time keeping track of everyone. Then after that we went to Last Chance restaurant for a drink and played Keno, She said she enjoyed it since she hadn’t done it for some time. She was across the hall from my mom at Legacy. I really miss her as I know her family does. I want to thank her family for sharing her with me. She was a true friend and very special to me. I loved her very much.