Virginia Mae Hastings Anderson, 91, Columbus

Virginia Mae Hastings Anderson, age 91 of Columbus, IN, formerly of the Grammer, IN area, died November 15, 2023 at Greentree Assisted Living Facility.

She grew up on the family farm near Delaware, IN and graduated from Napoleon High School in 1950, and Indiana Business School in 1969.

As a child, Virginia was a member of the Delaware Methodist Church at Delaware, IN in Ripley Co.  As an adult she was a longtime and active member of Grammer Presbyterian Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher for many years, an elder and a deacon.  She was a past member of the Cummins Creek Club, Senior Citizens of North Vernon, a member of the Hope Art Guild, the Genealogy Society of Columbus and was a former Cub Scout den mother.  Her family always came first, and she was very involved in genealogy, writing several books on family histories and histories and stories of her life and family.  She became an avid painter of oil landscapes and portraits, which she shared with her family and friends.  She loved being a mom and grandmother, cooking, reading, hunting, travel, writing stories and poetry, playing euchre, wetting a fishing line in the north woods of Canada and Minnesota and was much involved in the sports of her boys (Little League, Cub and Boy Scouts, and swim and diving teams).

Virginia grew up as a farm girl and never lost her love for the peace of the outdoors and wild animals.  You can take the girl out of the country but never take the country out of the girl, I guess.  Born in Ripley County, IN April 2, 1932, Virginia was the daughter of Nihl D. and Florence Smith Hastings.  She married James T. Anderson June 9, 1951, at the Delaware Methodist Church in Delaware, IN.  They were married 53 years before his death in 2004.

Virginia worked for Kroger Inc., Cardinal Vending as a bookkeeper, and retired from Cummins Engine Co. in Columbus as a computer operator in 1987 after 17 years.

Virginia will be laid to rest next to her husband James at Hope Moravian Cemetery Monday at 11 a.m.

Pastor Ed Cottrell of the Hope United Methodist Church will officiate the graveside service.  There will not be any visitation or service prior to the graveside.  Arrangements were entrusted to Norman Funeral Home in Hope.

Memorial contributions may be donated to Journey North via the Heritage Fund or Our Hospice of South Central Indiana at 2626 E. 17th St., Columbus, IN 47201.

Survivors of Virginia include, sons, Richard W. (wife Vicki) Anderson of West Lafayette, IN and John K. (wife Jessica) Anderson of Columbus; daughter-in-law Denise Anderson of Columbus; grandchildren, Sarah, Logan, James, Erin, Ethan and Madeline Anderson, all of Columbus and West Lafayette.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband James Anderson in 2004; a son Donald E. Anderson in 2002 and her sister Evelyn P. Martin of Albuquerque, NM in 2011.

Virginia’s family would like to give a special thanks to Greentree Assisted Living Facility, Our Hospice of South Central Indiana and Journey North for their wonderful care and support.