Virginia Jean Gaebe, 95

Virginia Jean Gaebe passed away on January 16, 2018 in Washington State.

Virginia was born to Lawrence & Florence Wassmann on March 15, 1922 at Mt. Pleasant, MN. She married her high school sweetheart Bill (Wilbur) Gaebe. In 1948 the couple & their son Ralph (Skip) moved to Cottage Grove in Wallace.

Virginia & Bill learned the jewelry store trade from Ed Phillips. When Mr. Phillips retired, they bought the store & named it “Bill Gaebe’s Ed Phillips Jewelry Store”.

In 1968 they bought out Beulah’s Jewelry Store & changed the name to Gaebe’s Jewerly Store. In 1976 Bill & Virginia closed the business, moved to Coeur d’Alene & opened the Diamond Store.

After they retired in 1990, Bill suffered ill health for a number of years. Virginia was his faithful caregiver until his death.

Virginia was a homemaker & excellent cook. She also worked in the jewelry store as a bookkeeper & sales clerk. She was an active member of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Osburn & the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene. She was an assistant Cub Scout mother for Den #5.

Virginia had a great respect for nature & a curiosity for life. She enjoyed skiing, fly-fishing on the Coeur d’Alene river and the “Joe”, hiking in the hills around Wallace & huckleberry picking at Pottsville. She played the piano & organ, enjoyed painting ceramics. She & her sister, Phyllis, made several trips together.

Virginia was proceeded in death by her husband, Bill Gaebe and her sister, Mary Phyllis Meyer. She is survived by her son Skip, daughter-in-law, Luisa & nieces Sue Kempf & Mary Craven of Minnesota & several other cousins, nephews & nieces.

Virginia will be placed with her husband Bill at the Nine Mile Cemetery in Wallace.

The family request that any donations made in Virginia’s name be sent to the Wallace Swimming Pool Fund c/o City of Wallace, 703 Cedar Street, Wallace, Idaho 83873.

One may sign Virginia’s online guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com