Committal service for Virginia Laverne Cantwell, 90, of Aberdeen and her husband, Joseph Francis Cantwell, will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, at Sunset Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Aberdeen, with Fr. J. Joseph Holzhauser officiating.
Virginia's wishes were to be cremated with burial of her and her husband's cremains to take place together.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 Fifth Ave. N.W., Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign her online guestbook at schriversmemorial.com.
Virginia passed away Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, at Avera Mother Joseph Manor in Aberdeen.
Memorials are preferred to Avera Mother Joseph Manor Chapel.
Virginia Laverne Beecher was born April 22, 1922, in Guelph, N.D., to Max Otto and Denise (Cottle) Beecher. She was raised and attended school in North Dakota.
Virginia was united in marriage to Joseph Francis Cantwell on Oct. 7, 1944, in Ellendale, N.D. The couple moved to the Westport/Barnard area and farmed west of Barnard for many years. While farming, they also worked at several livestock sale barns in northeastern South Dakota and owned and operated a trucking business, hauling livestock and grain until 1978, when they moved to Aberdeen. Virginia and Joseph shared over 64 years of marriage before he passed away on Jan. 22, 2009. Virginia became a resident of Avera Mother Joseph Manor in July 2012, where she continued to reside until the time of her death.
Virginia and Joseph were both members of The Good Sams Club. They enjoyed traveling, attending community events, visiting and driving around the surrounding areas, noticing all the changes. Virginia also enjoyed gardening and took great pride in her garden and canning it's produce in the fall.
She is survived by one sister, Ruth Mae (Cecil) Klatt of Ennis, Mont.; sister-in-law, Fran Beecher of Novato, Calif.; brothers-in-law: Patrick Cantwell of Aberdeen and William (La Rue) Cantwell of Westport; sisters-in-law: Elaine (Earl) Sand-Schulenburg of Dayton, Minn., Jean Cantwell of Aberdeen and Norma Cantwell of Tullahoma, Tenn.; and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents; beloved husband; and three brothers: Waymen and Harold Beecher and Bill Walden preceded Virginia in death.