Virginia Bowers Gates passed away on October 11, 2022 in Federal Way, Washington, at the age of 84.
Virginia was born on February 5, 1938 in Winona, WV. She was the fourth of five children along with brother Harry Jr, and sisters Marguerite, Lorraine Albrecht, and Judy Williams, born to Dorothy Evelyn Justice Bowers and Harry Lowell Bowers, Sr. Originally named Clara Virginia Bowers, she never used the name "Clara" (her family called her "Winkie" and she used "Virginia" otherwise) so she legally changed her name to Virginia Bowers Gates.
Virginia spent most of her childhood in coal towns in West Virginia, where she fractured her arm when she fell off a porch during a World War II blackout. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, WV, Virginia moved to Alexandria, VA to work for Capital Airlines as a Reservation and Ticket Agent where she met and fell in love with Harry Morrow Gates. They were married on September 27, 1958 in Wireton, PA. They stayed in Pennsylvania where Virginia worked as a Reservation Agent for Trans World Airlines (TWA), until she stopped working to raise their children, Daniel Gates and Susan Gates Bowder.
Virginia moved with her husband and children to Brampton, Ontario, Canada then returned to Pennsylvania before finally settling in Eugene, Oregon where she lived until moving to Federal Way in 2017.
After spending time working first at Lee World Travel and then for the State of Oregon, Virginia earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Lane Community College, and worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center as a Registered Nurse until she retired in 1997. After retiring from nursing, Virginia worked briefly in reservations at Royal Caribbean Cruises.
In addition to the caring and compassion she displayed in her chosen profession, Virginia spent a good deal of time volunteering and helping others. In 1981, when she learned that a friend had been diagnosed with a disease that no one had heard of, she organized the Lane County Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association to provide information and support to families of individuals with Alzheimer's. The chapter was recognized by the national organization thanks to Virginia's determination and persistence, and continues to help families to this day.
Virginia was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, having joined initially when she was 18, where she served in many positions in Cottage Grove Chapter, and as Grand Chaplain for the State of Oregon. She was also active in Daughters of the Nile, again serving in many positions and taking an active role in fundraising for the Shriners Children's Hospital.
Virginia's other passion was traveling. She loved to go to new places and especially loved cruising. When not traveling herself, she supported and encouraged her family in their travels. She loved that her last apartment was under the flight path to SeaTac Airport, and liked to identify planes and airlines, and even speculate about where the planes might be going.
Virginia is survived by her children Daniel (Dana) Gates and Susan (Paul) Bowder; her grandchildren Dylan (Heather) Gates, Paul (Nicole) Bowder Jr, Ashley Bowder, and Claire Bowder; her brother Harry Bowers Jr and her sister Judy Williams.
Virginia is interred with her husband Harry (who preceded her in 2016) at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR. Contributions in memory of Virginia Gates may be made to the Daughters of the Nile Foundation for the Shriners Children's Hospital (Make a Donation | Daughters of the Nile Foundation (donfdn.org)).
Virginia was born on February 5, 1938 in Winona, WV. She was the fourth of five children along with brother Harry Jr, and sisters Marguerite, Lorraine Albrecht, and Judy Williams, born to Dorothy Evelyn Justice Bowers and Harry Lowell Bowers, Sr. Originally named Clara Virginia Bowers, she never used the name "Clara" (her family called her "Winkie" and she used "Virginia" otherwise) so she legally changed her name to Virginia Bowers Gates.
Virginia spent most of her childhood in coal towns in West Virginia, where she fractured her arm when she fell off a porch during a World War II blackout. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, WV, Virginia moved to Alexandria, VA to work for Capital Airlines as a Reservation and Ticket Agent where she met and fell in love with Harry Morrow Gates. They were married on September 27, 1958 in Wireton, PA. They stayed in Pennsylvania where Virginia worked as a Reservation Agent for Trans World Airlines (TWA), until she stopped working to raise their children, Daniel Gates and Susan Gates Bowder.
Virginia moved with her husband and children to Brampton, Ontario, Canada then returned to Pennsylvania before finally settling in Eugene, Oregon where she lived until moving to Federal Way in 2017.
After spending time working first at Lee World Travel and then for the State of Oregon, Virginia earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Lane Community College, and worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center as a Registered Nurse until she retired in 1997. After retiring from nursing, Virginia worked briefly in reservations at Royal Caribbean Cruises.
In addition to the caring and compassion she displayed in her chosen profession, Virginia spent a good deal of time volunteering and helping others. In 1981, when she learned that a friend had been diagnosed with a disease that no one had heard of, she organized the Lane County Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association to provide information and support to families of individuals with Alzheimer's. The chapter was recognized by the national organization thanks to Virginia's determination and persistence, and continues to help families to this day.
Virginia was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, having joined initially when she was 18, where she served in many positions in Cottage Grove Chapter, and as Grand Chaplain for the State of Oregon. She was also active in Daughters of the Nile, again serving in many positions and taking an active role in fundraising for the Shriners Children's Hospital.
Virginia's other passion was traveling. She loved to go to new places and especially loved cruising. When not traveling herself, she supported and encouraged her family in their travels. She loved that her last apartment was under the flight path to SeaTac Airport, and liked to identify planes and airlines, and even speculate about where the planes might be going.
Virginia is survived by her children Daniel (Dana) Gates and Susan (Paul) Bowder; her grandchildren Dylan (Heather) Gates, Paul (Nicole) Bowder Jr, Ashley Bowder, and Claire Bowder; her brother Harry Bowers Jr and her sister Judy Williams.
Virginia is interred with her husband Harry (who preceded her in 2016) at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR. Contributions in memory of Virginia Gates may be made to the Daughters of the Nile Foundation for the Shriners Children's Hospital (Make a Donation | Daughters of the Nile Foundation (donfdn.org)).
Virginia Bowers Gates passed away on October 11, 2022 in Federal Way, Washington, at the age of 84.
Virginia was born on February 5, 1938 in Winona, WV. She was the fourth of five children along with brother Harry Jr, and sisters Marguerite, Lorraine Albrecht, and Judy Williams, born to Dorothy Evelyn Justice Bowers and Harry Lowell Bowers, Sr. Originally named Clara Virginia Bowers, she never used the name "Clara" (her family called her "Winkie" and she used "Virginia" otherwise) so she legally changed her name to Virginia Bowers Gates.
Virginia spent most of her childhood in coal towns in West Virginia, where she fractured her arm when she fell off a porch during a World War II blackout. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, WV, Virginia moved to Alexandria, VA to work for Capital Airlines as a Reservation and Ticket Agent where she met and fell in love with Harry Morrow Gates. They were married on September 27, 1958 in Wireton, PA. They stayed in Pennsylvania where Virginia worked as a Reservation Agent for Trans World Airlines (TWA), until she stopped working to raise their children, Daniel Gates and Susan Gates Bowder.
Virginia moved with her husband and children to Brampton, Ontario, Canada then returned to Pennsylvania before finally settling in Eugene, Oregon where she lived until moving to Federal Way in 2017.
After spending time working first at Lee World Travel and then for the State of Oregon, Virginia earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Lane Community College, and worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center as a Registered Nurse until she retired in 1997. After retiring from nursing, Virginia worked briefly in reservations at Royal Caribbean Cruises.
In addition to the caring and compassion she displayed in her chosen profession, Virginia spent a good deal of time volunteering and helping others. In 1981, when she learned that a friend had been diagnosed with a disease that no one had heard of, she organized the Lane County Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association to provide information and support to families of individuals with Alzheimer's. The chapter was recognized by the national organization thanks to Virginia's determination and persistence, and continues to help families to this day.
Virginia was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, having joined initially when she was 18, where she served in many positions in Cottage Grove Chapter, and as Grand Chaplain for the State of Oregon. She was also active in Daughters of the Nile, again serving in many positions and taking an active role in fundraising for the Shriners Children's Hospital.
Virginia's other passion was traveling. She loved to go to new places and especially loved cruising. When not traveling herself, she supported and encouraged her family in their travels. She loved that her last apartment was under the flight path to SeaTac Airport, and liked to identify planes and airlines, and even speculate about where the planes might be going.
Virginia is survived by her children Daniel (Dana) Gates and Susan (Paul) Bowder; her grandchildren Dylan (Heather) Gates, Paul (Nicole) Bowder Jr, Ashley Bowder, and Claire Bowder; her brother Harry Bowers Jr and her sister Judy Williams.
Virginia is interred with her husband Harry (who preceded her in 2016) at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR. Contributions in memory of Virginia Gates may be made to the Daughters of the Nile Foundation for the Shriners Children's Hospital (Make a Donation | Daughters of the Nile Foundation (donfdn.org)).
Virginia was born on February 5, 1938 in Winona, WV. She was the fourth of five children along with brother Harry Jr, and sisters Marguerite, Lorraine Albrecht, and Judy Williams, born to Dorothy Evelyn Justice Bowers and Harry Lowell Bowers, Sr. Originally named Clara Virginia Bowers, she never used the name "Clara" (her family called her "Winkie" and she used "Virginia" otherwise) so she legally changed her name to Virginia Bowers Gates.
Virginia spent most of her childhood in coal towns in West Virginia, where she fractured her arm when she fell off a porch during a World War II blackout. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, WV, Virginia moved to Alexandria, VA to work for Capital Airlines as a Reservation and Ticket Agent where she met and fell in love with Harry Morrow Gates. They were married on September 27, 1958 in Wireton, PA. They stayed in Pennsylvania where Virginia worked as a Reservation Agent for Trans World Airlines (TWA), until she stopped working to raise their children, Daniel Gates and Susan Gates Bowder.
Virginia moved with her husband and children to Brampton, Ontario, Canada then returned to Pennsylvania before finally settling in Eugene, Oregon where she lived until moving to Federal Way in 2017.
After spending time working first at Lee World Travel and then for the State of Oregon, Virginia earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from Lane Community College, and worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center as a Registered Nurse until she retired in 1997. After retiring from nursing, Virginia worked briefly in reservations at Royal Caribbean Cruises.
In addition to the caring and compassion she displayed in her chosen profession, Virginia spent a good deal of time volunteering and helping others. In 1981, when she learned that a friend had been diagnosed with a disease that no one had heard of, she organized the Lane County Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association to provide information and support to families of individuals with Alzheimer's. The chapter was recognized by the national organization thanks to Virginia's determination and persistence, and continues to help families to this day.
Virginia was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, having joined initially when she was 18, where she served in many positions in Cottage Grove Chapter, and as Grand Chaplain for the State of Oregon. She was also active in Daughters of the Nile, again serving in many positions and taking an active role in fundraising for the Shriners Children's Hospital.
Virginia's other passion was traveling. She loved to go to new places and especially loved cruising. When not traveling herself, she supported and encouraged her family in their travels. She loved that her last apartment was under the flight path to SeaTac Airport, and liked to identify planes and airlines, and even speculate about where the planes might be going.
Virginia is survived by her children Daniel (Dana) Gates and Susan (Paul) Bowder; her grandchildren Dylan (Heather) Gates, Paul (Nicole) Bowder Jr, Ashley Bowder, and Claire Bowder; her brother Harry Bowers Jr and her sister Judy Williams.
Virginia is interred with her husband Harry (who preceded her in 2016) at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR. Contributions in memory of Virginia Gates may be made to the Daughters of the Nile Foundation for the Shriners Children's Hospital (Make a Donation | Daughters of the Nile Foundation (donfdn.org)).
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