B. Virginia Lilienthal

April 1, 1922 - March 19, 2007

B. Virginia Lilienthal died Monday (March 19, 2007) at Community Hospital in McCook at the age of 84.

She was born April 1, 1922, at Stamford, the daughter of the late Arthur and Matchen (Strickland) Goudie. She grew up at Trenton where she graduated from Trenton High School in 1939. She began teaching in the rural school in Hitchcock County.

On Aug. 29, 1944, Virginia married Henry John "Hap" Lilienthal at Trenton. They lived in San Francisco, Calif., where John was a guard for the first United Nations building. They began farming in partnership with Kenneth and Mildred Miller north of Trenton and in 1954, they purchased the Otto Schmidt farm on the Blackwood Creek north of Culbertson.

In 1974, they moved to Culbertson and continued farming with their son and his wife doing business as Lilienthal Feed Lots, Inc. until retiring in 1981.

For 75 years she was an active member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, an active member of the Culbertson Help A Lot Club, the Culbertson VFW Auxiliary, the Trenton American Legion Auxiliary and a member of the Hitchcock County Farm Bureau.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, John on Sept. 20, 1988; granddaughter, Heidi Jo Lilienthal in 1982; two brothers, Bill Goudle and an infant brother, Robert; and her stepmother, Gladys B. (Sharp) Baker, Goudie.

Virginia moved to Willow Ridge in McCook in 2001.

Virginia is survived by one son, John Arthur Lilienthal and his wife, Linda (Plourd) Lilienthal of Culbertson; one daughter, Ann Knoedler and husband, Leonard of Ann Arbor, Mich.; five grandchildren, Lisa Ternes and husband, Brady, John Ace Lilienthal, Jacob Luke Lilienthal, Janis Ritchie and husband, Keith and Adam Dinnel; two great-grandchildren, Jonathan Ternes and Audrey Ritchie; one brother, Bill Baker of Ogden, Utah; and relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Culbertson with the Rev. Dr. Jeffery Thurman officiating. Interment will be in the Trenton Cemetery.

Memorials may be given in her name and friends may call at Herrmann Chapel in Culbertson from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Herrmann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.