Obituary of Virginia Smith Keeler
Virginia Smith Keeler, 103, died 9/23/2020 of age related causes.
Virginia was born in Portland, Oregon 4/17/1917 to Harold and Louise (Emmons) Smith. She graduated from Seattle's Franklin High School in 1935. She was the granddaughter of one of the original members of the Ocean Park, WA founders.
Virginia worked as an bookkeeper until retirement and lived for many years in Netarts on the Oregon coast before moving to Willamette View Retirement Center in Portland She did not have any children but enjoyed her many nieces and nephews. She loved sports (forever a Ducks fan), clam digging on the Long Beach peninsula and all things seafood. Ocean Park was one of her favorite places to be. She enjoyed long beach walks with her extended family and had a particular love of animals. She had a long term relationship with her partner Lucille (Lou) Simshaw. She had a great sense of humor, was always forthright and fair in life.
On a 2-week vacation in the early 1950s Virginia and a few other lady friends built a beach cabin from pre-cut cedar logs at Ocean Park that is still used by family today.
She was club president of the local chapter of Lumber Jills during WWII which was a charitable organization.
She finally gave up driving at 99 and gave her beloved minivan to her niece Stacie Smith and she says that every time she turns on the ignition she thinks of her aunt Virginia.
She is survived by her older sister, Mary Lou Simonelli (105) living at Willamette View in Portland, cousin Margaret Lusk Framm in California, 2 nieces, 3 nephews, many great-nieces and nephews, and many friends. She was preceded in death by her brother, Amedee Mellier Smith, Sr. of Eugene.
A private burial and celebration of Virginia's life will be scheduled later at the cemetery in Ocean Park, WA.
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