VIRGINIA LEE GRANGER

Virginia Lee (Brown) Granger passed away peacefully on Friday, January 25, 2013 at Wilshire at Lakewood at the age of 92. She was born In Olathe, Kansas, on September 11, 1920, the oldest child of Nathaniel Ross Brown and Helen G. (Waddell) Brown. After the death of her mother when Virginia was age 5, she was raised by her father and stepmother, Florence C. (Waddell) Brown. She graduated from Olathe High School in 1938 and married Frederick S. Granger in 1939. They were married for 50 years prior to his death in 1989. In addition to raising five children, Virginia was a housewife who was active in her community and church. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Lee's Summit and was an ordained elder and member of Ruskin Heights Presbyterian Church prior to its closing. She was instrumental in starting a hand quilting group at the Ruskin Heights church in the '80s which still meets weekly. She was active in Republican politics all her life. She was a past president of the Fifth Congressional District Federation of Republican Women and served as an elected committeewoman. She was honored as a Jackson County Republican Woman of Tribute in 1998. She enjoyed sewing and crafts, making everything from dresses for her young daughters to embroidering tea towels for friends. She will be remembered as a loving woman who gave her talents and energy to her family and community. She is preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers, Leland W. and Leroy F. Brown, and one grandson, Joshua Granger. She is survived by five children, Marilyn (Jim) Watt of Topeka, KS, Sharon (Ted) Welborn of Raymore, MO, Linda (Leon) McCormick of Garland, TX, Kathryn (Anthony) Gutierrez of Raymore, MO, and Kevin (Shelley) Granger of Archie, MO.; a sister, Beverly J. Johnson of Minnesota; 16 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Visitation will begin at 12 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2013 followed by services at 1pm at the Park Lawn Chapel. Burial at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Stanley, Kansas. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Wilshire at Lakewood, Crossroads Hospice, or a charity of your choosing. Arr. Park Lawn Funeral Home 816-523- 1234