Virginia Louise (Lance) Roush

Virginia Louise Lance Roush

June 9, 1936 – April 1, 2020

A memorial service will be held for Virginia Roush, 83, of North Bend, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Coos Bay at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 13, 2021..

Virginia Louise Lance Roush, dedicated grandmother, avid gardener, lifelong teacher and learner, active member of PEO, and ready volunteer died at home surrounded by her family on April 1, 2020 after a short illness. Born June 9, 1936 in Petaluma to Clara Louise Noble Lance and Virgil Robert Lance, she spent her early years in California. When she was ten the family moved to Clatskanie, Oregon. She graduated from Clatskanie High School, class of 1954. Soon she was off to Corvallis to begin her studies at Oregon State College, joining the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. In 1957 she married Richard Roush, and finished her education degree, graduating in 1961. Rich’s military service took them to the south where she taught school. In 1963 they began their great adventure—moving to American Samoa to teach school. Soon daughter Linda was born in a primitive local hospital where the family had to bring the new mother food and utensils. Those two years in Samoa and a return 11 years later were among the best times in her life. She dove deeply into local culture and made many lifelong friends.

In 1965 they returned to Oregon where Virginia continued her long career teaching primary school, shaping many young lives. Retirement brought satisfying years of RV traveling and selling art at craft fairs far and wide. Art always played a big role in her life—she painted, sewed, wove, hand built pots, embossed paper and created beautiful etched and stained glass.

Throughout her life, Virginia treasured her family, never missing the yearly Lance family reunion in the Cascades where over 100 relatives from across the nation would camp together. Virginia enjoyed close relationships with her daughter Linda, grandson Steve who spent his growing up summers with her, and later Linda’s husband Richard and granddaughters Erin and Ali. She loved her Emmanuel Episcopal Church family and her close PEO ties. In recent years she began traveling with her friend Barbara and sister Jeanne enjoying the Caribbean, Mexico, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma exploring museums and sites.

Her husband Richard preceded Virginia in death in 2009. She is survived by her brother Ed Lance of Redding, CA; sister, Jeanne Pace of Portland, OR; daughter Linda Nicholson and her husband Richard of Coos Bay; grandson Steve McGrew of McMinnville; and granddaughters Erin and Ali of Coos Bay.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation for the skilled and compassionate care provided by Dr. B. Patel and the staff at Bay Area Hospital as well as the ongoing support of her PEO and Emmanuel Episcopal Church family. Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440.

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