Obituary: Virginia Barbara Urich “Ginny”

Virginia Barbara Urich “Ginny”

Virginia Barbara Urich “Ginny” passed away Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 in White Salmon, Washington.  She was born September 2, 1922 in and was 99 years of age at the time of her passing.

Ginny was born in Jasper, Indiana to Leo and Anna (Jerger) Ulrich.  She grew up in Indiana attending Jasper Elementary School and graduated from Jasper High School.  She continued her education at St. Mary’s and Elizabeth Hospital Nursing School in Louisville, Kentucky and then attended anesthesia school at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

After graduation, she worked at St. Mary’s and Elizabeth Hospital in their surgery department.  She worked as a surgical nurse for many years before deciding to specialize in anesthia.  Ginny took a position in Indianapolis, Indiana as a nurse anesthetist at St. Vincent Hospital.  In 1963, she found her new job at the Hood River Memorial Hospital making her dream come true moving to the Pacific Northwest.  She retired from anesthesia in 1987 but continued to work part-time as a nurse in the recovery room until 1999 when she retired from Hood River Memorial Hospital.

Ginny loved playing the violin where she played in the high school orchestra from the ages 13-18. She loved sewing and crocheting and made many Barbie and doll clothes for her daughter and granddaughters, and for many birthday parties. Another thing she enjoyed doing was her ceramics. She was very involved in her granddaughter's lives, everything from, dance recitals, sport activities, school programs, and everything in between. She loved to travel.  Some places included being on a sailboat to the Bahamas. Many, many family trips to New York, Washington, DC, Kentucky, and her home state of Indiana. In 2006 she went on a trip to Egypt. A special trip she took with her parents in 1950 to Florida. That was always a special trip for her.  She loved playing Rummy and Solitaire. 

She was a devoted Catholic and an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church from 1963-2021 where she was also a member of the Church Choir.

Ginny is survived and will be dearly missed by her daughter, Sarah Urich Goebel (Kurt); granddaughters, Anna Belcher (Jeremy) and Mechelle Niezgoda (Ben); great-grandchildren: Hunter Bryant, Madalyn Bryant, Bella Belcher, Lou Lou Belcher, Kennedy Niezgoda, Havona Belcher, Journey Belcher; many nieces, nephews and her many friends she collected over the years from the hospital, church, and bunco.

She was preceded in death by her parents (Leo & Anna), siblings (Isidore, Antoinnette, Eugene, Jerome, Kenny, &  Emil) and a few nieces & nephews.

Ginny was an independent, strong, loving, giving woman.  Services to honor her are planned as follows;

Rosary & Vigil Service

6:00 p.m., Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 at Anderson's Tribute Center (1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031).  ~ viewing to proceed from 9am to 6pm ~

Catholic Funeral Mass

10:00 a.m., Friday, September 24th, 2021 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church (1501 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031). 

Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family or to access live stream links for both events.