Virginia Ragsdale Gregg

Virginia Ragsdale Gregg passed away peacefully at her Walla Walla home on Wednesday, March 26th, surrounded by loved ones. She was 90 years old. Virginia suffered a debilitating stroke in December. She had resided at her home for 70 years.

Virginia was born at home in LaGrande, Oregon. She was the last of five children born to Charles and Daisy (Minns) Ragsdale. When she was 10 years old, her parents moved their family to Walla Walla from LaGrande. She started the fourth grade at Green Park Elementary. She later graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1952.

At the recommendation of one of her teachers, she attended the St. Mary’s School of Nursing and graduated with the Class of 1955. She spent the next 44 years at St. Mary’s Hospital, primarily working in the Emergency Room. Over the years, she donated 20 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross.

Her oldest brother, Tommy, introduced her to future husband, Pierce Gregg. She later married Pierce in Lewiston, Idaho, on October 4, 1955. Pierce was 48 years old. Virginia was 21 years old. Her brother, Tommy, also helped them build their home.

In 1986, Virginia was featured in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin for cleaning around 1,200 Mountain View Cemetery headstones by hand so they would look good for Memorial Day. She got inspired for her project while taking one of her daily walks through the cemetery. One evening she decided she could just as easily as be working on the headstones as walking through the 70-acre grounds.

In addition to being a skilled nurse, Virginia was very creative. She enjoyed drawing. She played the piano for her own entertainment. Virginia was also an accomplished seamstress and quilter. In 2023, her Southwest Quilt won the Superintendent Award and the First Place Blue Ribbon at the Walla Walla Fair.

Family clothing and most of her quilts were sewn using her mother’s 1920 Singer hand crank sewing machine. The machine came with a motor, but at the time her parents didn’t have electricity, so they instead chose the hand crank option.

Virginia was a lifelong patron of the Little Theater of Walla Walla. Her family presented her with a “legacy chair” to commemorate her love of the performing arts. She encouraged and supported her children and grandchildren in their pursuit of the cultural arts. They have fond memories of attending performances at Whitman’s Cordiner Hall, at the Little Theater of Walla Walla, and participating in Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater summer musicals.

Through her daughters’ formative years, every Saturday Virginia drove them to ballet classes in Pasco, Washington. She sewed costumes for their recitals.

She crocheted many baby blankets and afghans for friends and family. She also donated many baby blankets to the Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For her 90th birthday celebration in 2024, her daughter, Lynn Rose, collected photos of many recipients with their baby blankets.

After retiring from Providence St Mary’s Hospital in 1999, she volunteered with Mercy Corps as a school nurse on the Navaho Reservation at the St. Michael’s Association for Special Education in Window Rock, Arizona.

After her return to Walla Walla, for 10 years she volunteered regularly at the Blue Mountain Humane Society. She sewed bandanas for the dogs and blankets for the cats. She was recognized for her commitment and dedication by the 2008 Volunteer of the Year Award.

In retirement, Virginia enjoyed traveling. She and her traveling companions visited 48 of the 50 United States traveling by car, railroad, cruise ship, and airplane. She greatly enjoyed visiting her first cousins in England (her mother’s homeland) and touring Scotland.

Throughout her life, Virginia was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and her husband participated in the construction of the 2nd Ave meetinghouse dedicated in 1960. She enjoyed teaching the 12-year-old girls, serving in the Relief Society, and volunteering at the Columbia River Temple in Richland, Washington.

Virginia is survived by her daughters, Leslee Sanders (Dave) of Vancouver, Washington, and Lynn Rose (Mike) of Walla Walla; son, Matthew Gregg (Michelle) of Aloha, Oregon; seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 20 nieces & nephews.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Pierce Gregg; daughter, Lisa Ragsdale; grandson, Nathan Bradford; her parents; three brothers and one sister.

Funeral services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1821 S 2nd Ave in Walla Walla on Wednesday, April 2nd, at 10:00 am. Interment will follow at Walla Walla’s Mountain View Cemetery.

Virginia will be remembered fondly for her love of John Wayne, John Denver, Agatha Christie and other mystery writers, her passion for crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and for winning family Scrabble games.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Providence St. Mary Nursing Scholarship fund through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W Alder St, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.