Virginia Bunting

Virginia M. Bunting, age 84, of Milbank died Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at Milbank Care and Rehabilitation Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, May 8, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Charles Catholic Church in Big Stone City.

Visitation will be Sunday, May 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the church with a prayer vigil at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Monday, one hour prior to the service.

Padre Da’vid Garza will celebrate the Mass. The accompanist will be Lonie Rausch. Casket bearers will be: Jesse Cloos, Ryan Cloos, David Gruenwald, Mike Lubbesmeyer, Rick Vold, and Kevin Bunting. Honorary bearers will be her god-children: Beth Arndt and Linda Hausauer.

Virginia M. (Lubbesmeyer) Bunting was born May 10, 1932, in Belgrade, MN. She was the daughter of George and Elizabeth (Wengler) Lubbesmeyer. Her family moved to Big Stone City, SD in 1942. Virginia graduated from high school as Salutatorian with the Class of 1950.

Virginia worked at Lauster Grocery Store in Big Stone City following high school. A friend convinced her to attend summer school at Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD. Virginia pursued a teacher’s certificate. In August of 1951, after ten weeks of training, Virginia began teaching at Alban #1 rural school. It took her 18 summers to complete her teaching degree! She taught at Alban #1, #2, and #3 for 11 years.

Virginia was united in marriage with Larry “Rowdy” Bunting on May 19, 1956, at St. Charles Catholic Church in Big Stone City. They resided in Milbank where Virginia taught at the Milbank School District for three years. In 1965 they moved to Big Stone City and Virginia taught school in Ortonville, MN. She taught for 29 years until her retirement in 1995. A special memory was Virginia’s fifth grade class making and selling cookbooks and donating the money to the Statue of Liberty. In 1987 she was named Teacher of the Year.

Virginia was a representative of the Big Stone County Reading Association and also served as President. She was a faithful and active member of St. Charles Catholic Church where she served as lecturer and sang in the choir. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters in Milbank. Virginia was a 41 year active member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was also selected as Legionette of the Year. She enjoyed playing softball, bowling, and roller skating (which she did every year with her students until she retired). She loved to Christmas shop every year with her sisters and nieces. She enjoyed bus tours and especially loved spending time with her grandsons. She was an avid cookbook collector and carousel collector.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter and son-in-law, Jeanne and Greg Cloos of Big Stone City, SD; two grandsons: Jesse (Misty) and Ryan (Amber); one sister, Phyllis (Roger) Gruenwald of Big Stone City, SD; brother, Hank (Marge) Lubbesmeyer; sisters-in-law: Maxine Heiller, Iris Bunting, and Wauneta Schwandt.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Larry; sisters: Dorothy Vold, and Elaine Lubbesmeyer; step-father, Les Bergseth; brothers-in-law: Irvin Vold, Jeff Bunting, Neil Bunting, Herb Heiller, and Bob Schwandt; and sister-in-law, Marion Bunting.