Virginia Gardner

Virginia M. Gardner, 93, of Mascoutah, IL, formerly of Belleville & Champaign, died on Monday, July 20, 2020, at Mar-ka Nursing Home in Mascoutah, IL.  Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 24th, at Stackhouse-Moore Funeral & Cremation Services, Geneseo.  Rev. Christopher Ritter will officiate.  Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Geneseo.  Visitation will be on Friday from 12 to 1 p.m. at the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to Sigma Alpha Iota Music Sorority, Champaign.

Virginia Mae Torreyson was born February 6, 1927, in Geneseo, IL, the daughter of Willard and Edna (Otto) Torreyson.  She earned both her bachelor and master degrees in Library Science from the University of Illinois, Champaign.  On July 30, 1950, she was united in marriage to Oral Gardner in Geneseo, Illinois.  He survives.

Virginia called Champaign her home for over 50 years where she taught 4th grade in Mahomet schools until retiring.  She spent much of her time tutoring her son, Kent, and other deaf children in order to help them reach their full potential.  She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Champaign, and the Sigma Alpha Iota Sorority.  Virginia enjoyed traveling with her children, loved music and music club activities.

Survivors include her husband, Oral; a daughter, Linda (James) Kirn, Roselle, IL; three sons, Steven Gardner, and Gary (Cathy) Gardner, both of Belleville; and Kent (Ruby) Gardner, Denver, CO; and four grandchildren, John Kirn, Mathew Kirn, Jenni Gardner, and Conor Gardner.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and her younger sister, Geraldine Duncan.