Virginia L. Hewson, 81, Dickinson, died Thursday, October 26, 2017 at CHI St. Alexius, Dickinson. Graveside services for Virginia will be 1 p.m., Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at the Medora Community Cemetery. A Gathering of Family and Friends will be Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Virginia Ray was born January 24, 1936 in Medora, the daughter of Walt and Bessie (Nichols) Ray. She grew up and attended school in Medora until her senior year of high school, graduating from Dickinson High School in 1952.
Virginia married Dale Hewson in Moorhead, Minn., on May 12, 1952 and they lived in Fargo for a year while Dale finished his college degree at NDAC. They returned to Dickinson in 1953. Dale and Virginia had five daughters, Cheryl, Pamela, Lucinda, Kathleen, and Virginia.
Over the years Virginia belonged to a number of organizations – Queen City Garden Club, Dickinson Parent Teachers Association, DHS Band Parents, and ND Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution – where she was named Outstanding Junior Member in 1969. Virginia belonged to the Hospital Auxiliary until she started work at Hilltop Home. She was co-chair, with Monica Peterson, of the first Valentine Cookie Drive done by the Auxiliary. She also belonged to Queen City Toastmasters and Mystery Lovers Book Club. Virginia always believed that if she belonged to an organization, she should be ready to serve as an officer, fund raiser or whatever was needed.
Virginia and her daughters owned and operated the Roosevelt Park Gift Shop in Medora from 1967 to 1973. Dale and Virginia also owned and operated Kimm Trailer Park and Campground, and Kimm Liquor. In 1992 Virginia started work as an activities assistant at Hilltop Home of Comfort in Killdeer. In 1993 she went to work for Job Service ND and for several years was in charge of the Older Workers Program. She retired in January 2001.
After retirement, Virginia devoted her time to Dale, her family and to her hobbies – reading, spinning, knitting, quilting, gourd art, beading, and rubber stamping. She was proud of the fact that for more than sixty years she read at least one book a day.
Survivors include her daughters Cheryl Hewson, Pam Reinarts (Kevin Statema), Kass Hewson and Ginny Alexander. Grandchildren are Josh (Heather) Hewson, Jake Reinarts (Gina Guthmiller), Courtney (Andrew) Workman, Michael Alexander, and Jenna (Ben) Montgomery; great-granddaughters Madelyn and Lillian Reinarts, Sullivan Workman, Paige and Madie Davis; and great-grandsons Conor Hewson and Gibson Reinarts.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bud and her sister, Kathleen Barger, her husband, Dale, daughter, Cid Hunter, son-in-law, Lou Alexander, and one great-grandson, Gavin John Hewson.
