Virginia Louise Dirks Boettcher, 97, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, at Regency Care Center in Pullman, with her children by her side.
She was born in Walla Walla to Clarence and Doris Dirks on July 28, 1925. She and her sister grew up on the family farm near Lowden, Wash., where she rode her horse, Toots, to a one-room schoolhouse. She often had to fend off the boys with her bookbag, as they tried to pull her off her horse. She also rode her horse in a women’s equestrian drill team. Virginia was competitive in 4-H cooking and sewing. The American Youth Foundation awarded her a trip to Camp Miniwanca on Lake Michigan, where she developed leadership skills.
Virginia graduated from Washington State College (now Washington State University), majoring in home economics with a minor in chemistry. She was a member of SPURS, a collegiate service organization. She was a charter member of Alpha Phi sorority and served as vice president and rush chairperson. Virginia met her husband of 64 years, Robert Lloyd Boettcher, while attending WSC. They were married Aug. 24, 1947, and moved to Walla Walla after several job-related moves following Bob’s graduation. They had two children. While living in Walla Walla, Virginia was involved in Camp Fire Girls leadership, Red Cross blood drives, and was Junior Club president. In 1967, Bob and Virginia and the kids moved from Walla Walla to Pullman. Virginia quickly fit right into the community, becoming an active member of PEO Chapter S, Washer Women bridge group, Ingleside book club, a neighborhood birthday club, and many other activities. She and several friends started a group called Kahlua Guzzling Babes (KGB) which met monthly to catch up on what each was up to and sip Kahlua. She served 17 years as a pink lady volunteer at the Pullman Regional Hospital, hospital auxiliary treasurer and was district governor and district alumni chairperson for Alpha Phi Sorority. Virginia was a member of the Pullman Presbyterian Church, where she was an elder and deacon. She also participated on the kitchen committee providing lunches following funerals. Virginia also found time to work as a teacher’s aide at Sunnyside School and worked as a cashier at the Washington State University bookstore, The Bookie.
Virginia loved the outdoors. She enjoyed camping, water skiing, snow skiing, boating, sailing and picking huckleberries. The family went on annual summer camping vacations to Kalispell Island at Priest Lake, Idaho. They were always joined by cousins and friends while tent camping. Virginia kept everyone well-fed. As time went by, Bob and Virginia bought a small lake lot on Rockford Bay at Coeur d’Alene Lake and built a kit cabin with the help of family and friends. Whether at the cabin or at her home in Pullman, her grandchildren remember the ice cream, popcorn and watermelon were plentiful. She loved a fire in the fireplace or in the fire pit. A favorite wintertime activity of the grandkids was to sled at the steep, vacant lot across the street from the Pullman residence. Virginia and Bob enjoyed traveling. They visited Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and numerous locations in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Someone once said to Virginia that she had a wonderful life. Her reply was, “I meant to.” She certainly did.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Robin Wimmer (Mel), and son, Dirk Boettcher (Joy); grandchildren Erin Svancara, Luke Wimmer (Claire), Erik Boettcher, David Wimmer (Melanie) and Kyle Boettcher (Brady) and grandchildren Ben and Madeline Svancara, Chance, Georgia, John Thomas, and Ramy Claire Wimmer and Nora and Neal Wimmer. She is also survived by seven nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Pullman Regional Hospital Foundation, 840 SE Bishop Blvd., Pullman, WA 99163, or Whitman County Humane Society, 1340 Old Moscow Road, Pullman, WA. 99163.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Pullman Presbyterian Church, 1630 NE Stadium Way, Pullman.
