Mrs. Virginia Langford, 88, a former school teacher, and a fifty year resident of Joplin, died on September 16 at Mercy Hospital as a result of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
She was born on February 8, 1927, in Grainola, Oklahoma, the second of three children of Glynn and Geraldine Stirewalt. She attended elementary and junior high school in the Kansas City area and graduated from high school in Chanute, Kansas. After completion of high school she attended Chanute Junior College and Pittsburg State University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1949. On July 12, 1952, she was united in marriage to Robert Lee Langford, an insurance claims adjuster, who preceded her in death in October of 1980. She was a school teacher for twelve years in the Parsons Kansas and Joplin Missouri school districts, and she was particularly fond of her students at Emerson school in Joplin. She is the author of a children’s book, “Monty says Mice are Nice”, and several children’s plays. The causes she found important in life were the importance of kindergarten, first and second grade education and reading for children. In her honor, the Virginia Langford Elementary Education Scholarship endowment has been established at Pittsburg State University. After retiring from full time teaching, she worked at the First Presbyterian Church day care center. She was an active member at the First Presbyterian Church and she maintained the Church bulletin board for many years. She enjoyed teaching, reading, writing, drawing, sewing, cooking, and spending time with family, friends, children and her dogs. Her parents, her older brother Toby Stirewalt, and her husband preceded her in death.
She is survived by her son, Barry Langford of Columbia, Missouri; her younger brother, Jerry Stirewalt and his wife Sharon of Chanute, Kansas, and their children, Tommy Stirewalt of Chanute; Kevin Stirewalt, Rhome Texas; Kristie Winter, Wichita, Kansas, and Michelle Hutton, Kansas City, Kansas; niece Margaret Alexander and nephew Robert Stirewalt, both of Ponca City, Oklahoma, born to her brother Toby. She is forever thankful for the support of her husband’s extended family, particularly Harry Glades, the late Norma (Langford) Glades, and their children Phillip Glades of Joplin, Vicki Hoffman of Baxter Springs, and Keith Glades of Joplin, and their families. Funeral services for Virginia are at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 24th, at Parker Mortuary in Joplin, Missouri, with Pastor Dave Burgess of First Presbyterian Church leading the service. Burial will follow at Ozark Memorial cemetery in Joplin. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening from 7-8:00 p.m. at the mortuary and at Club 1201 in Joplin from 1-3 p.m. Thursday. Friends may also pay their respects on Wednesday from 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m. in the chapel of the mortuary. Memorials are directed to Pittsburg State University for the scholarship in her name c/o of the mortuary, or to the Amazing Graces fund at Spring River Christian Village. Online condolences may be sent to the family through the website. http://www.parkermortuary.com/home/index.cfm/obituaries/default/fh_id/10419
Her family is grateful to the staff and administrators at Spring River Christian Village, where she lived her last eight years. Her family wants her to be remembered for her love of family, home, friends, country, her faith, her alma mater Pittsburg State University, Walt Disney animated productions, elementary age students, and dogs. As one of Tom Brokaw’s greatest generation of Americans, Virginia came of age during the great depression and World War II. She and her peers helped reinvigorate the country by educating the baby boom generation. One of the quotes from Mr. Brokaw’s book was “It’s easy to make a buck-It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.” Virginia made a difference. Although she has physically departed this world, her name and her spirit live on through the successes of her family, her students, and their families, the legacy of the scholarship endowment in her name, and the pleasant memories of all who spent time with her.
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