Virginia Lee Widaman, of Mexico, Mo., peacefully left her Earthly body behind Jan. 16, 2018, and made her journey to Heaven where she was greeted by her savior Jesus Christ, and her late husband Ellery Benton Widaman, who had made the trip on Oct. 23, 1980.

Also greeting her were many dear friends and family members including her parents Ray and Betty Scherer, grandparents, only brother Kenneth Scherer and niece Marsha Scherer Stovall.

Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, January 20, 2018, at Pickering Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Stanford officiating. Visitation will be Saturday, 11 a.m. until service time. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park.

Virginia's many friends and family will just have to wait to see her again. They include her children Patricia Gipson of Pleasant Hill, Mo; Steven and wife Linda of Sturgeon; Gregory and wife Karen of Mexico; Kevin and wife Rachel of Columbia; and Dwight and wife Anita of Pleasant Hill, Mo.

Grandchildren include Denise, April, Blane, Whitney, Drew, Amber, Brandon, Cara, Hannah, Emma, Ashley, Jacob, Kalea, Breanna, Lauren, Bridget, 29 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, sister-in-law Carol (Scherer) Ragle and nephew Ronnie Scherer.

Virginia was born in Mexico, Mo., on April 26, 1925 and grew up in Rush Hill, Mo., where she graduated from Wellsville High School in 1942. She regularly served as an organist for the Rush Hill Community Church. Virginia often spoke of her love for Rush Hill and the tight-knit and caring community there. She was a member of the Mexico First Christian Church since the late 1960s and sang in the choir for many years. She was also a member of the Gillman Guild.

Her love of travel and work led her - like many women of her generation - to assist in the war economy. She left home to work in Los Angeles, San Diego and Bloomington, Minn. She also worked at Scott's Store, Florsheim, and A.P. Green. During the war, Virginia played piano and guitar for the USO when Hollywood stars would come through the area selling War Bonds. Her favorite was Gene Tierney.

She married Ellery Benton Widaman on July 10, 1952, in Alton, Ill., and became an army wife during the Korean conflict.

As her own children began to leave home, she was a tender caregiver - babysitting during the day for neighborhood families and her grandchildren.

Virginia was an avid reader, clipping out articles and handing them to family members. She followed local and national news but always made time for her favorite daytime soap operas. When she could no longer attend them in person, she enjoyed listening to Cardinal baseball games on the radio; as well as college and high school basketball games. She loved to travel and spent much time at the homes of her son and daughter in the Kansas City area.

She truly enjoyed devoting time and effort to diligently organize dozens of family photo albums and scrapbooks with some pictures dating back more than 150 years. An avid sewer, she was often making her own curtains, pillows, blankets and aprons as well as nightgowns for her youngest granddaughters.

After her husband passed, three sons in Mexico cared her for. In April, 2011, she left her home in Mexico - a home she lived in since 1967 - to be cared for by her son and daughter in Pleasant Hill, Mo. However, she always kept up with news from the Ledger. When placed on hospice last week, she asked to return to Mexico where she passed at Pin Oaks.

The family would like to thank her former Mexico neighbors for all they have done for their mom in the pastgetting her mail and paper, clearing her driveway and walk of snow, bringing her tomatoes and keeping her informed of the neighborhood news (which she never wanted to miss).

We will miss the chocolate pie, her sense of humor, little acts of kindness, the thoughtful gifts and the sign by the door to "please take off your shoes." Most of all we will miss her love and presence in our lives.

We love you Mom. We will see you again.

Donations may be made to a Rush Hill Community Church youth program that will assist elderly Audrain County residents fixing up their homes: Rush Hill Community Church, 143 Church St., Rush Hill, MO 65280.