Obituary for Patricia Belle Virgens (Marshall) Print Patricia Belle Marshall Virgens, 81, passed away Sunday, February 3, 2019 at the Shippensburg Health Care Center in Shippensburg, PA. Patricia was born March 20, 1937 in Leonardtown, Maryland to the late Isabel Florence Graves Marshall and Ira Richard Marshall, Sr. of Loveville, MD. Patricia moved with her family to Washington, D.C. as a young child and attended school in the Washington, D.C. Public Schools.
Patricia’s family maintained their ties to their family in St. Mary’s County, MD, and she spent many weekends and holidays on the family farms around Leonardtown, MD. She graduated from McKinley Technical High School, Washington, D.C., class of 1955. She also attended the University of Maryland before leaving college for the world of work, marriage, and family.
She married Richard Davis Linscott Virgens, son of the late Hazel Emogene Prout Virgens and Emil Paul Walter Virgens, on June 9, 1956 at St. John’s Baptist, De La Salle in Chillum, MD. From 1956 to 1959, Patricia worked at the Washington Navy Yard as an administrative assistant. Patricia followed her husband as he changed jobs throughout the years; each move bringing a new change for her to create friendships and impact others.
In Reading, PA, she worked with the community social scene to create social events for the community. In Harrisburg, she became involved with local theater, creating costumes for actors in productions like Sound of Music and My Fair Lady. She introduced her children to the world of theater.
In Camp Hill, PA and again in Lancaster, PA, she became a Girl Scout leader so that her daughters could begin what would become lifelong adventures with Girl Scouting. Her desire to give her daughters Girl Scouting created opportunities for her daughters and granddaughters to become strong women. In Lancaster, she became a Neighborhood Chairman for Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council where she planned many events and activities that impacted many girls.
While in Lancaster, she went back to work in the children’s department of Gimble’s Department Store which gave her daughters a different view of life as she worked and Dad stayed home with the children. She taught her daughters that people did not have to be defined by gender roles. Patricia continued to support her daughters’ extra-curricular activities from theater arts programs to student government, to interscholastic sports and intercollegiate sports.
Patricia and Richard ensured that one parent was at every high school and college basketball game throughout their daughters eight years of playing and coaching women’s basketball. Her happiest times were spent with her family and traveling throughout the United States with her husband, and occasionally her friend, Nancy, in their motor home. They liked to travel with their grandchildren and offer them multigenerational opportunities to learn about the geography, history, and culture of the United States.
When Patricia and Richard retired the motor home, they donated the motor home to the “Read and Feed” program for elementary students in Raleigh, NC. When at home, Patricia often ran “Camp Grandma” where her grandchildren would come spend a few days with her cooking, making crafts, and learning the true meaning of “Shop ‘til you Drop”. Patricia is survived by daughters Linda Anundson (Ron) and Shelly Perry (Wayne); grandchildren Abigail Anundson, Katherine Anundson, Rachel Perry Eichhorst (Ben), Kaitlin Perry, and her companion, Jeremy Hartman; and great-granddaughter, Isabelle Mae Anundson.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in the Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home & Crematorium Shippensburg, with Father Dwight Schlaline officiating. Burial and Interment Service will be at 1:00 p.m. in Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
A visitation will be held from 10:00 until 10:30 a.m. on Thursday in the funeral home. Online condolences may be expressed at www. fogelsanger-brickerfuneralhome.com.
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