Virginia Louise Johnson Woodbury

Virginia passed away suddenly on February 28, 2020 in Oceanside, CA. She was 91 years old. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin Gus Johnson and Alice Julia May (Westring) Johnson and her husband James (Jim) Ray Woodbury. She is survived by her daughter Leigh Alice McLernon (and Michael), daughter Leslie Jane Woodbury McIntyre (and John), son Lowell Edwin Woodbury (and Gorgea Davidson), and granddaughter Meghan Hines McLernon.

Virginia was born March 24,1928 in Kansas City, Mo. She was raised in a close knit Swedish American family living within blocks of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of her family. They all attended the same Lutheran Church. She had fond memories of her family gatherings growing up and instilled these values in her children. She graduated from Westport High School and shortly attended junior college until at age 18 moved with her parents and brother George to Los Angeles where her father was transferred with his job in the Insurance business.

Her family joined Angelica Lutheran Church and lived nearby where her father was able to take the trolley to work in downtown Los Angeles. Virginia obtained a job as a secretary at her father's insurance company for a short time until she met her husband Jim, and a circle of close family friends lasting a lifetime at Angelica.

Virginia and Jim were married August 19, 1949 at Angelica. Virginia was active in her church where she and Jim sang in the choir. Virginia was devoted to her husband, children, and extended family. She was a good cook, coming from a long line of good cooks from her mother Alice and her paternal and maternal grandmothers all who lived high into their eighties and nineties. Raising three children she was a busy homemaker taking great pride in her home and yard. She made all the holidays, and birthdays, special with family dinners and party celebrations enthusiastically decorating the house in seasonal holiday decor. Being Swedish on the Johnson side and Norwegian on the Woodbury side she and/or her parents would host a Swedish smorgasbord during the Christmas season. These family traditions were passed down to her three children.

Christmas time was special. A day was set aside for family to gather and help make batches of Swedish Christmas cookies. The family celebrated Christmas Eve with dinner and opening presents around the tree. She and Jim would sing in the choir Christmas Eve midnight service and sing again Christmas morning 6:00 am Swedish Julotta service. Following they would return home and prepare a Christmas day open house pancake breakfast for family, friends, and choir members.
During her children's younger age she was involved as Camp Fire Girl leader, Elementary school PTA member and volunteer especially the Elementary school Halloween carnival event where she spent time sewing Halloween costumes for her children and herself to wear to the carnival while she worked the booths. When her youngest child was preparing for college, Virginia went to work for the American Greeting Card company followed by working for the American Chicle Co as a Sales Rep. Her territory was the South Bay area in Southern California.

In the 1980's Virginia attended a Pasadena antique show and saw a big crowd of women clustered around a booth that held antique hatpins. She had never seen such ornate and varied hatpins and became immediately hooked on collecting. She joined the American Hatpin Society to learn more and remained a member for life serving as it's President for 10 years. In her youth she enjoyed figure skating, swimming and snow skiing. She enjoyed gardening with special interest in her roses and seasonal vegetable garden. She enjoyed hobbies of keeping several fish aquariums, knitting of many sweaters for herself and children. Besides collecting hatpins she collected antique china and collectibles.
She and Jim enjoyed travel trips to Europe, Alaska, and visits home to Kansas City, Mo and Minnesota always stopping at the National Parks along the way. Virginia had an outgoing, friendly personality and strong constitution always interested in her friends and families goings on. She was an avid reader of mystery novels, had her hair done weekly at the beauty salon, loved Black Angus Restaurant steaks, Mexican food and margaritas and still worked in her garden through her high eighties.

She was in good health, physically strong and active, and sharp thinking throughout her life. She lived by her Midwest values, common sense, never shy to tell you her opinion welcome or not; generous to her children and family members. She will be greatly missed.