Virginia Claire O'rourke

O'ROURKE, Virginia Claire, knew how to tell a good story, and she didn't need to look far for inspiration. Her 98 years of life were full to the brim of exciting adventures and hilarious mishaps, heart-warming tales and decade-spanning yarns.

Born on August 18, 1922 to Walter and Uarda (Davis) Lane, Virginia might tell you about growing up in Cleveland with her twin Elizabeth and their younger sister Marjorie. In primary school while learning to read, Virginia saw everything in reverse, and would have Lizzie read their daily assignments aloud to her so she could memorize them for class. She soon overcame her childhood dyslexia to become a voracious reader – but she kept the gift of mirror writing, which she used to write coded letters to her grandchildren. The Lane twins would master the French language, winning scholarships to study at Oberlin, where they graduated in 1944. But Virginia didn't quit there, eventually learning Portuguese, Swedish and Italian later in life.

Pick a year and she was sure to regale you with an exciting tale. She climbed Incan ruins in Peru and Viking burial mounds in Sweden. She rode horses in the California desert, and brought back treasures from her far flung travels to create a museum of memories with her family. She watched Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig play while cheering on her home team Cleveland Indians – it was only a nickel for a ticket on Lady's Day! She danced to Duke Ellington's band in college, and she had a deep appreciation for classical music and the great American songbook. She did the crossword puzzle every day - without a dictionary and in pen. She adored her three dachshunds, and amassed an incomparable collection of antique dolls.

Or maybe you would ask her about one of her paintings. Virginia was a gifted artist from her youth and a lifelong student of water colors. She painted en plein air on the Eastern Shore and the Outer Banks, created sweeping landscapes of Swedish castles and wild horses, intricate still-lifes of family heirlooms and well-loved portraits of her children and grandchildren. She even put her artistic gifts to work during World War II, hand painting the dials for military aircraft. She passed on her painting skills to many of her grandchildren, who she lovingly taught through patient encouragement and a practiced hand.

She loved one man her whole life, and though he died 29 years ago this month, she kept his memory alive every day and carried his picture in a heart shaped locket. She loved to tell the story of meeting her husband Patrick at an officer's club in New York City after World War II. The dashing naval commander offered to drive her home after a night of dancing, and continued to write her while at sea. Together, Virginia and Patrick traveled the world, from Kodiak, Alaska to Rio de Janeiro, Palo Alto to Boulder, Colorado, finally settling in Washington, D.C., where Patrick joined NASA after leaving the Navy. Wherever she lived, Virginia immersed herself in her community, studying languages and local cultures, and committing herself to service and charitable work. She will be buried next to Patrick in Arlington National Cemetery, and her family can only smile knowing Ginny and Pat are together now.

The third act of Virginia's life was devoted to her grandchildren. Virginia and Patrick raised three wonderful kids – Eileen, Michael and Maura – and have eight grandkids. In 2001, she moved to Richmond to be close to her daughter Maura's family, and the past 19 years have been filled with just as many adventures and high-jinx as the previous 79. She sewed elaborate costumes, made extraordinary Christmas gifts and would buy out the entire row for school plays so her large group of friends could see her grandkids on stage. She continued to travel the world, visiting Michael and Eileen's families in California and Sweden. She was the keeper of familial knowledge, teaching her grandkids family recipes and obscure family expressions that apparently are not widely used. She took on the many roles of a grandmother – confidante, teacher, president of the fan club and above all, buddy - with endless joy and unrelenting support.

Virginia had a tendency to repeat stories – alas a family trait many have inherited and laughed about. But now her family has memorized the oft-told adventures of her life, so maybe that was her plan all along. She was the center of our family's joy - there for every important event in our lives, from birthdays, graduations and weddings, to a simple Tuesday lunch date. She faced life with unwavering optimism, weathering the harshest of life's challenges and rejoicing in even the smallest of triumphs. She sang us songs, and sang our praises. And she never missed a moment to tell us how much she loved us. She passed away on Saturday morning, December 5, 2020, with her devoted daughter Maura beside her, gone to dance in the Elysian Fields.

Virginia is survived by her daughter, Maura, her husband, Michael Bisceglia and their kids, Katie, Patrick and Jack; her daughter, Eileen, her husband, Torbjorn Varemo and their kids, Leif, Marika and Lukas; and her son, Michael, his wife, Katarina and their kids, John and Marie-Louise. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to FeedMore (feedmore.org). And give your grandmother a call. We know she has a story or two to tell.