In Loving Memory Virginia Colleen (Hatton) Grenseman May 14, 1931 – May 7, 2018 Virginia Colleen (Hatton) Grenseman passed away May 7, 2018, at the Washington Odd Fellows Home. She was 86 years old. Arrangements are entrusted to Mountain View-Colonial DeWitt, Walla Walla, WA.
Virginia was born May 14, 1931, in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, to John Edward Hatton and Margaret D. (Hopper) Hatton. Due to her father’s employment with the phone company, the family which included her older… Read More » brother, Lawrence, moved around for several years finally settling in Beloit, Kansas, where Virginia—Colleen to her friends and Sister to family—attended school. She had a part-time job as a teen working in a local dental office.
Colleen took piano and vocal lessons and was an accomplished vocalist, singing solos at weddings and other local musical events. After graduating from Beloit High School, she went to work for the phone company in Topeka, Kansas. It was there she met her husband, Donald Grenseman, at a USO dance.
They were married in Beloit, Kansas, on December 23, 1951, while Don was still in the Air Force Reserve. After the ceremony, the young couple moved to his duty station in Burbank, California. After a brief stint, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where they had three children.
Colleen enjoyed volunteering at the First Methodist Church. She played piano for the children’s program. She also began working again for the telephone company but was an involved mom in her children’s lives as den mother for Cub Scouts, a leader for her daughter’s Blue Bird group, and she also volunteered at their schools.
In 1967, the family moved to Walla Walla, Washington, when Don was transferred. She and her husband built a home on Havstaad Drive, but since Don was out of town a lot for work, she did a lot of the finish work on the house herself and became quite accomplished at finishing wooden floors and dry walling. She was also working again for Pacific Northwest Bell in Walla Walla.
Colleen loved working outside in her garden and flowerbeds. She raised milk goats and chickens and her beloved dogs. She was active in her church, Grace United Methodist of Walla Walla and also attended Bible Study Fellowship.
She enjoyed her friendly neighborhood events and, in later years, enjoyed her daily coffee groups. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and cultivated a wonderful relationship with them. Virginia Colleen is survived by her four children: Don (Debi) Grenseman, Joan Grenseman, Tim (Jan) Grenseman, John Grenseman; five grandchildren: Eric (Patricia) Grenseman, Elizabeth Grenseman, Heather (Brian) Gould, Sean (Courtney) Jessee, Cody Grenseman; 4 great-grandchildren, Connor and Alaina Gould, Felix Grenseman, and Lilith Jade Grenseman; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Donald Cornelius Grenseman, her husband, passed away in 2015. Friends and family may share memories and sign the online guestbook at www.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
