Virginia Eleanor McGowan was born on July 12, 1920, to Charles E. McGowan and Mary Elizabeth (Singer) McGowan in their home, three miles south of Hardy, Neb. She died on July 20, 2022, in Belleville, at the age of 102.

Virginia attended country school through 8th grade, and graduated from Hardy High School in 1937. After graduation, Virginia earned her teaching certificate and taught in rural country schools for a number of years before marrying Alvin H. Petersen on May 25, 1943, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hardy, which they regularly attended, and sang in the choir, most of their married life.

To this union, two children were born: Rodney in 1944, and Carol in 1948. Virginia and Alvin began married life on a farm north of Hardy. They moved to the Republic, Kan., area in the spring of 1946, where they farmed until moving into Republic in 1958. Virginia and Alvin began working at the Republic Grain Elevator. Virginia was a long time correspondent for The Belleville Telescope and The Superior Express for the Republic news. She was an avid reader and served on the Ray Hobson Memorial Library for many years. In later years, Virginia worked as a waitress at the Foote's Café in Chester, Neb.

Her husband, Alvin, died in 1988, shortly after their 45th wedding anniversary. Virginia moved to Belleville in 2014, to be closer to her daughter and family.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Wanda (Glenn) Hutt, Dorothy (Kenny) Erkenbrack, Jean (Leo) Snavely; and brother, Dean (Viola) McGowan.

She is survived by her son, Rod (Joyce) Petersen of Shawnee, Kan .; and daughter, Carol (James) Levendofsky of Belleville, Kan .; her four grandchildren, Christie (Sunny) Kairos, Scott (Stacie) Levendofsky, Dane (Jill) Petersen, Kay (Daryl) Rieke, and eleven great-grandchildren.

Her funeral was at 10 a.m., Monday, July 25, 2022, at the American Lutheran Church in Belleville, with Al Urich officiating. Burial followed at Lake Cemetery, rural Republic.

Visitation was from 1 to 7 p.m., Sunday, July 24, with family greeting friends from 4 to 6 p.m., at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home assisted the Petersen family with these arrangements, http://www.tibbettsfischer funeralhome.com