Virginia Fern Heil
Virginia Fern Heil was born April 4, 1932 in Boulder, Colo. She passed away March 4, 2020 at Niobrara Community Hospital Extended Care in Lusk. She was 87.
Virginia was born in Boulder on the farm operated by her maternal grandparents. She lived on several farms in Boulder County during her childhood.
Virginia attended Lincoln Elementary and in second and fifth grade for a short period, the Marshall School. She attended Casey Junior High and graduated in 1947. She graduated from Boulder High in 1950.
She worked for the Alba Dairy in Boulder in high school and the following year. She worked for the University of Colorado Print shop on the magazine plate maker for printing in November 1952 and transferred to a secretarial position at the University of Colorado Bookstore from June 1954 to July 1963. Her grandfather had also worked at the University when she was young. He did odd jobs during the winter and irrigated the grass in the summer.
Virginia met her husband, Don, when she was set up for a date by one of her coworkers at the bookstore. Their first date was a fundraiser for Left Hand Canyon Volunteer Fire Department, which he had helped get going. The coworker happened to be Dad’s nephew’s wife. She enjoyed the many dances they went to in the following years.
Virginia married the love of her life on Nov. 4, 1962, and moved to the family ranch north of Boulder. There she was immersed in a big crazy family. Winter was a time for baking bread, cookies, and soup on the wood cookstove. Summer was canning everything they could get their hands on with her sister- in-law.
When the kids were in school full time, she had several part time jobs and helped her dad and sisters care for her mother. Virginia moved to the family ranch in Lusk in 2004. She enjoyed walking, rides to put out salt and check water, visits from her sister Kathy and hitting the pie places in the area.
She was a member of the Indian Creek Homemakers Club and enjoyed the meetings and chatting with the members and learning the history of the area. Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her nieces and nephews. She had some great people who cared for her at the nursing home and we can’t thank them enough for loving her and caring for her the way they did. We all appreciate you so much. Mom was the most caring, hard working person we know and she will be greatly missed.
Virginia is survived by her sister Kathy Janssen (Tony) Parachute, Colo., children, Susan Lang (Paul), Steve Heil (Ingrida), both of Lusk, Henry Heil (Kathy) Longmont, Colo., five grandchildren: Bradley Lang (Ashiley), Jeffrey Lang (Kim), Jake Heil, Zachary Heil and Zoe Heil, five great-grandchildren: Marlee, Tapp and Wyla Lang, Raimey and Molly Lang and numerous nieces and nephews.
Virginia as preceded in death by her husband Don, parents Ella Ogren, Orance Woodruff, and her step-father Leonard Conda, brother, Johnny Conda, and sister, Judith Morse.
A funeral service will be 11 a.m. March 10, 2020, at Crist Mortuary in Boulder.
Pier Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements.