Virginia 'Ginny' Laures, 76
Virginia "Ginny" Laures age 76 of New Hampton, IA, died Friday, February 14, 2020, surrounded by her family at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 17, 2020, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton with Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, New Hampton.
Friends may greet the family from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory in New Hampton where there will be a 2:30 p.m. Rosary and a 7:00 p.m. Parish Scripture Service. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Monday.
Virginia Lynn “Ginny” Laures’ remarkable life began in Galesburg, Illinois on Nov. 9, 1943, when she was born to Thomas C. and Emily Eloise (O’Brien) Fox. She was the fourth of six children and grew up on a farm outside Galesburg. She was an excellent student at Galesburg’s Corpus Christi High School, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the Class of 1962.
Ginny was always a “people person” and it wasn’t a surprise that her goal in life was to become a nurse so that she could provide the care and support she felt every person needs.
In her final year of school at Galesburg Cottage Hospital School of Nursing, Ginny went on a blind date to the James Bond film "Goldfinger" with an Iowa native named Stan Laures. Ginny knew, absolutely knew, Stan was the man meant for her. When Ginny returned to her room at the nursing school, she told her roommate that “I just met the man I’m going to marry.” Ten months later, she and Stan exchanged vows at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Galesburg, and a 54-year loving adventure commenced.
For a short time, Ginny worked as a surgical nurse in Galesburg, but when Stan accepted a job in Mason City, she worked as a pediatric nurse. It was in Mason City where the Laures welcomed their first three children — Paul, Lisa, and Ann.
In 1971, the young family moved to New Hampton, where Stan accepted a job with First National Bank, and Ginny worked as an industrial nurse at Sara Lee, which had just opened its New Hampton plant.
But it was in the community where Ginny shone brightly. She was the founder of the New Hampton Newcomers Club and served as its president, she was involved as a leader in scouts and 4-H, she served on the St. Joseph’s School Board for more than 10 years, including a stint as board president, and, honestly, the list of organizations she was involved in would take up this entire page.
In 1977, the couple’s family was completed when Katie was born, and her children remember their mom as one who always found the time for them even as she served her community, her church, and others. How she did it all they do not know, but they know no one had a mother quite like they did.
She spent 17 years as the New Hampton High School nurse, and she cared for students who were sick, sent the kids who weren’t back to school and served as not only a nurse but a counselor to a number of young women. On more than one occasion, Stan and his children have been told by her former students that “Ginny saved my life.”
Ginny and Stan were foster parents and hosted foreign exchange students. Ginny chaperoned numerous school and mission trips. She won awards — like the New Hampton Professional Women’s Organization “Women of the Year” in 1994 and the Iowa Governor’s Volunteer Award in 2011 — but what her family and friends will always remember about her is that she loved people. Her mission was “kill them with kindness,” and she accomplished that goal every day.
She was also “the best” grandma because she understood that her most precious commodity was the time she was able to devote to them, and in turn, her grandchildren loved her.
In 1999, she and Stan retired, and the couple loved to travel. They visited all seven continents and each of the 50 states, and Ginny liked meeting new people and, yes, “killing them with kindness.”
In recent years, this loving, vibrant woman who had a smile that would light up the room, struggled with Alzheimer’s Disease, but Stan devoted endless hours to the love of his life.
Today, Ginny is at peace, she has taken her wonderful smile to Heaven, but her husband, children, grandchildren, friends, community, and church know that they were lucky to have been touched by this remarkable, wonderful woman.
Survivors include her husband, Stan; four children, Paul (Paula) Laures of Lenexa, KS, Lisa (Victor) Terrizzi of Evanston, IL, Ann (Erick) Roeder of Kansas City, MO, Katie (Dominic) Peraud of Coralville; ten grandchildren, Marlee Laures, Meg Laures, Nick Laures, Wes Roeder, Nolan Roeder, Massimo Terrizzi, Marco Terrizzi, Joey Peraud, Teddy Peraud and Peter Peraud; three brothers, John (Sandee) Fox of Racine, WI, Tom Fox of Rock Island, IL, Chris (Mindy) Fox of Lee’s Summit, MO; one sister, Sue McCarthy of Palatine, IL; sister-in-law, Marilyn fox of Lake In The Woods, IL; brothers-in-law, Gerald (Glenda) Laures, Russ (Angie) Laures, Steve (Susann) Laures, all of New Hampton.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Maurice Fox; brother-in-law, Daniel McCarthy; sister-in-law, Lori Laures; her father and mother-in-law, Bernard and Calista Laures.
