Virginia Lee (Brockman) Jensen was born December 18, 1930, in Kansas City, Kansas, to the late Furn Owen Brockman, Sr., and Gladys Viola (Sterns) Brockman. She passed away Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at the Logan County Hospital in Oakley, Kansas, at the age of 93.
Virginia was born the fifth of twelve children. Childhood memories were treasured and, throughout the years, generously shared with anyone willing to listen. To know Virginia is to cherish her love of center stage. At the age of five, she started dancing under the instruction of Paul Pagona. Virginia went on to dance professionally for four years performing at United Service Organization (USO) shows in the Kansas City area. She passed on her love of dancing by teaching tap, ballet, and acrobatics. Virginia was never afraid to sing or dance – embracing every small moment as an opportunity to perform. She believed in living life out loud.
On June 10, 1950, Virginia married Charles David ‘Dave’ Jensen at the Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Kansas City, Missouri. To this union, five children were born: Kathleen Joy, Jacqulyn Fern, David ‘Duke’ Lee, Rebecca Ann, and Cynthia Sue. The couple began their married life on the Jensen family farm north of Hays, Kansas. In 1960, the family moved to Grinnell, Kansas, where Virginia enjoyed being active in and around the Grinnell community. She was a member of the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), Alter Society, PRIDE, Extension Homemakers Unit (EHU), and American Ag. She was also a 4-H leader. Virginia loved decorating, cooking, baking, gardening, sewing, and a good game of Nertz. Her outgoing, generous personality brought a smile to many.
Virginia’s faith was her guide and her family, her light. From the very moment she and Dave met, life was navigated together. Whether dancing the night away at the VFW, working side-by-side on the family farm, or lending a helping hand to friends and strangers, they were never far apart. Theirs was a love to remember.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dave; siblings, Furn Brockman, Jr., Robert Brockman, infant twin brothers, Patricia Brockman, Thomas Brockman, Carolyn Smith, and Jane Broski; and her grandson, Nathan Beckman.
Left to carry on Virginia’s legacy are her five children, Kathleen Beckman, Jacqulyn (Donald) Teeter, David ‘Duke’ Jensen, Rebecca (Dwight) Williams, and Cynthia Combs. Cherished memories, songs, and dance will forever live through her 17 grandchildren, Frederick (Cimber) Vogelgesang III, Jennifer Vogelgesang, Daniel Vogelgesang, John (Evette) Beckman, Nathan Beckman (1981-2017), Melissa (Roger) Byerly, Melanie (Craig) McDonough, Christopher (April) Teeter, Meredith (Darris) Lewallen, Andrew Jensen (Ember Meadows), Jessica Geist (D.J. Peterman), Patricia (Andrew) Starbuck, Tina (Craig) Schoenberger, Lori (Josh) Bohnert, Susan (Zach) Moore, Andrea Turnbull (Benjamin Chaffin), and Bailey (Eric) Nelson. Many unforgettable stories will surely be passed to Virginia’s 39 great-grandchildren, 4 step great-grandchildren, 11 great-great grandchildren, and 5 step great-great grandchildren. According to her, all beautiful babies. Virginia will also be remembered by her surviving siblings, Theodore (Carole) Brockman, Marilyn Brockman-Weld, and Russell ‘Barney’ Brockman; her brothers-in-law, Jim Smith and Fred Broski; her sister-in-law, Rossie Morgan; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
To our loving mom, grandma, great-grandma, great-great grandma, (commonly known as Gram, Grammy, Bubble Grandma), sister, aunt, cousin, and friend ~ Till we meet again.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street in Hays. Burial will follow in St. Catherine Cemetery in Catharine. Visitation will be from 9:00 am until service time on Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Logan County Independent Living or to Logan County Hospital, 211 Cherry Ave., Oakley, KS 67748. Condolences and memories of Virginia may be left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com