Virginia Anna Ivie, a resident of Shoshone since 1982, passed away Tuesday, June 9, at the Gooding County Hospital.
She was born Virginia Anna Sowers, Dec. 24. 1912, at Gannett, Idaho, to Emphield "Pop" and Christen Sowers. She was the second of five sisters. Her younger years were spent on Loving Creek Ranch and in Picabo. In the early 1920s, they moved to Hailey, where she attended school and graduated from Hailey High School in 1934. She worked at the Hailey Hospital under Dr. Fox.
In Oct. 4, 1937, she moved back to Hailey and married Harold Ivie. They lived in the East Fork of Wood River, where Harold worked at the North Star and Mascot Mines.
In 1940, they moved to Mackay and started two sawmills and one in Kane Creek on the Big Lost River. In the war years, she was a telephone operator. Virginia joined the Royal Neighbors Lodge and was still a member after 70 years. She was treasurer, vice president and president in Mackay and Hailey.
In 1955, they moved to the Rocky Mountain Ranch in Stanley, where Harold managed the ranch. In 1959, they move back to Ketchum, then to Hailey in 1960. In 1962, they leased the Board Brothers Sawmill in Hailey, and later opened their own sawmill in 1962. In 1972, they moved to Hammett and built a home on the Snake River. In 1982, they moved to Shoshone, where they resided for 27 years.
Virginia was a wonderful loving mother and grandmother. Her love for fishing was inexhaustible. If there was a creek or river close by, she had a fish line in it.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and four sisters: Estella Johnson of Hagerman, Avon Brenneman of Hailey, Roma Patterson of Hailey, and Mae Ridgway of Hailey.
Virginia is survived by two sons, James A. Ivie of Shoshone and David L. Ivie (Saundra) of Minden, Nevada; three grandchildren, Doug Ivie (Catherine) of London, England , E. Stac Ivie (Debbie) of Winter Park, Fla., and Wendy Ivie Maher (Steve) of Winter Park, Fla.; six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Viewing will be Sunday, June 14, from 4-6 p.m. Services will be held at the Wood River Chapel in Hailey at 2 p.m. Monday, June 15, 2009. Interment will follow at the Hailey Cemetery. Friends are welcome to join the family at the Senior Citizens Center at 3:30 p.m.
The obituary and guest book are also available at www.woodriverchapel.com.
