Obituary of Virginia Dee Stanford

Virginia Dee Kershner Stanford, born May 11, 1930 in Ontario OR to Hank and Charlotte Townsend Kershner. Siblings are Bobbi,Beverly,Beth, Dick, Sharon and Vern.

She passed peacefully with family, Jan 11, 2022 in her home on the family ranch, Owyhee Co Idaho near Jordan Valley, OR.

Mom’s first job at an early age was delivering milk with sisters in an old Model T, from the family Dairy. Granny Charlotte would tell stories of the sheriff calling to report her girls were in a fight, again, in middle of street over who would drive.

Mom lived in Silver City with Aunt and Uncle Townsend, her 3d grade of school, because the school needed one more student to stay open.

Her second job in high school would be in Wilder ID as Switch Board telephone operator, Uncle Vern remembers her loading the three youngest up and taking them to work with her.

In 1950, she was named Miss Homedale and went on to compete in Miss Idaho, her talent being Rope Spinning.

Graduation from Homedale High School then on to clerk at Courthouse in Murphy ID.

Met the love of her life, Lee Stanford at Silver City Cattlemen’s dance in 1951 and married him in Homedale ID in 1952. Beautiful wedding!

They lived for the next 5-6 yrs at the Ralph Stanford ranch on Jackson Creek Idaho, there was born Dennis, Mike, Dee and Pat.

Mom cooked, cleaned, laundry for all of us kids, Dad, Grandpa, and three Uncles, in a tiny house, with a lot of love and a big table.

When Dennis became school age, Dad and Uncle Gene formed a partnership and bought the Jim Mills ranch on Jordan Creek in Pleasant Valley Idaho.

Mom was DIY before it was even a thing!

She sewed, made all five (Uncle Gene too)of us fancy western shirts for the rodeo every year, made most all of our school clothes and my cousin Kathy Simon’s wedding dress, she knit, all of us sweaters, she was an artist, crocheted, embroidery, refurbished old antique furniture, hunted, canned, garden, flowers, well know for her great cooking, especially her bread and cinnamon roll, and she was the barber for family and friends!

When school district decided the school needed a bus, Mom was the first driver, there went riding horses to school, many stories of kids on bus and Mom. Mom always won.

She waited tables off and on at the JV Club for many years also.

President of Owyhee “Cowbelles” in 1967 and secretary of Idaho State “Cowbelles” in 1982.

1980, she lost her partner and love, Lee, to Cancer.

Can’t keep a good woman down and so in 1982 Mom took and passed the Idaho Realty Exam, working then for Agee Realty in Grangeville ID, also traveling with Aunt Beth Kershner across the Northwest completing Logging Audits.

1992 she moved south to Lamoille NV to Manage a store for Aunt Sharon Swisher and Jack, then becoming a Parts Runner for Degerstrom Mining in Crescent Valley NV.

Back to her home on the ranch in 1994, and there she stayed!

Mom was a busy, very personable soul, but always had time for family and friends.

Rest In Peace, Virginia, sister, friend, Momma, Grams, GG, G’ma.

Celebration of Life for Virginia Dee Stanford will be held in June, date and time to be announced later.

Family would like to thank those for their thoughts and prayers, and family ask not to send flowers or plant a tree. 

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