Apr. 9, 1924 - Jul. 7, 2013
Date of Service: Jul. 16, 2013
Virginia Paslay
HAZELTON – Virginia Eloise Langdon was born on April 9, 1924, in Topeka, Kan.,
and died peacefully at her home in Hazelton, Idaho, on Sunday, July 7, 2013. She was 89-years-old when she left this world to continue her new life in the presence of Jesus Christ.
Virginia was the second daughter born to Edwin and Gertrude Jeanette (Dick) Langdon. She graduated from Highland Park High School in Topeka in 1941, and was honored to be part of the school royalty her senior year. She married Jack Messinger on Nov. 17, 1942. At the end of World War II, Jack and Virginia moved to Warsaw, Ind., where Jack worked for various companies. After Jack landed a job with Zimmer Manufacturing, the company moved them to Oklahoma City, Okla. Virginia continued her coveted career as a mother and housewife, also working part-time in a bank. After Jack's death in 1966, Virginia returned to school and then went to work for Kerr-Magee Oil Company as an executive secretary.
In October of 1968, she married Merrill Paslay. She worked at Idaho Bank & Trust where, because of her contagious smile and sweetness, she made many lifelong friends. Merrill had started an insurance business and Virginia eventually became his work partner. She worked there until they both retired.
Virginia was a member of the First Baptist Church of Paul, where she was a Sunday School teacher for many years. Her kindness and gentleness made her a natural for young children to love and respond to. She also enjoyed socializing with the women in the Kasota Sage Hens. Although she looked forward to her social organizations, she found greater satisfaction in solitude and reflection and greatly enjoyed reading and camping in Stanley.
Virginia is survived by her husband, Merrill Paslay; her children, Steve (LaJuana) Messinger, Sue (John) Tarp, and Dan (Connie) Paslay. Her extended family includes ten grandchildren, Christy (Jeff) Elrod, Natalie (Nick) Smith, Mandy (Ray) Cumberland-Messinger, Marcy
(Richard) Calvert, Christy Brooks, Carey (Brandon) Smith, Jared (Aly) Paslay, Kyle Paslay, Sarah (Jon) Lord, and Rachel (Rico) Castillero; 18 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Jack Messinger; sisters, Jean Hedstrom and Lorraine Paslay; daughter, Janice Blakey; and a son-in-law, Ron Blakey.
Services to honor Virginia's life and celebrate her faith in Christ as Savior will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, at the Paul Baptist Church, 25 North 4th West, with the Rev. Warren Rachele officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Burial Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.
