Virginia Newell

Virginia Newell died peacefully in her sleep on January 12, 2012. She was born February 5, 1921 to Walter Everett and Ruby (Coleman) Truitt. When she was a child her father owned a dancing school and led a vaudeville troupe that toured Kansas and northern Oklahoma in the summers. After her father died in 1932, the family moved to Atchison, Kansas where they lived until after Virginia graduated high school. She attended Christian College in Columbia, Missouri where she met George Newell who was a student at the University of Missouri. They were married on June 16, 1940.
During World War II George was stationed at various Army bases from Texas to South Carolina. Virginia was able to accompany him to each assignment with their growing family in tow.
After the war they lived in Indiana and Maryland while George finished his PhD. They moved to Stillwater in 1950 where George taught at OSU. Virginia stayed home to raise their four children and was very active in PTA and First Christian Church. When her youngest was in high school, she started teaching knitting and crochet to the women in the Lahoma Club. At that time she saw a need for a yarn specialty store in Stillwater. She operated the Yarn Basket out of her home for almost 20 years and taught classes in many types of needlework.
She was a member of Altrusa International, Inc. of Stillwater while she owned her shop. She was also a member of Beta Sigma Phi for over 40 years. She attended Sunnybrook Christian Church for many years and helped to establish the library there.
Virginia is predeceased by her husband of 39 years, her parents and a brother (Arthur Truitt).
She leaves behind a legacy of 4 children Edith Newell-Perley (and husband George Perley) of Enon, Ohio; Susan Newell Klos (and husband Ken) of Tallahassee, Florida; George Newell of Santa Cruz, California and Barbara Dobson of Stillwater. There are 9 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
There will be a private family graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to your favorite charity in Virginias memory.
Friends can leave condolences for the family via an online guestbook at www.pmcfh.com or www.facebook.com/pmcfh