Virginia K. Ogren

WAKARUSA -- Virginia Catherine (Wagner) Ogren, 88, of Miller's Merry Manor in Wakarusa, passed away on Saturday (Nov. 14, 2009).

The daughter of the late Karl J. and Katherine (Dillon) Wagner, she was born in Sidney, Ohio, on Sept. 17, 1921. She married Robert J. Ogren on Feb. 16, 1946, at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Sidney, Ohio.

She is survived by her husband, in Wakarusa; her daughter, Mary (Bill) Gronke of Lake Geneva, Wis.; three sons, Hugh (Lynn) Ogren of Mishawaka, Jim Ogren of San Francisco, Calif., and Paul (Beth) Ogren of Minneapolis, Minn.; eight grandchildren, Katie, Mark (Heather) and Thomas Rylko, Paul and  Molly Ogren, and Ben, Peter and Jacob Ogren; two great-grandchildren, Tyler Braet and Joshua Rylko; two brothers, K. Thomas Wagner of Naples, Fla., and John (Marjorie) Wagner of Peoria, Ill.; and a sister, Marjorie (Kenneth) Debrosse of Fort Wayne.

Mrs. Ogren was preceded in death by her brother, Fr. Hugh Wagner.

She graduated from Sidney High School in Sidney, Ohio, in 1939; with a bachelor's degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1943; and with a master's degree in education from Western Michigan University in 1974. She began her career as a secretary for the Andrew Jergens Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

After raising her family, she taught at Elkhart Central High School and later became the head of the department of business education before retiring in 1989. She was active in Camp Fire Girls, Girls Scout and Cub Scouts for 15 years, taught CCD for four years at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Elkhart and was a member of Frontiers Club.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, and for 1/2 hour prior to the 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday at St. Thomas the Apostle, 1405 N. Main St., Elkhart. Fr. William "Bill" Sullivan will officiate. Graveside services and burial will follow at St. Vincent Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be given to Elkhart Central High School Commemorative Foundation, 1 Blazer Blvd., Elkhart, Ind. 46516 or St. Thomas the Apostle School, 1405 N. Main St., Elkhart, Ind., 46514.

The family would like to thank the staff at Millers' Merry Manor, where Mrs. Ogren resided, for their fine care, kindness and support over the last six years.

Visit www.billingsfuneralhome.com to send online condolences to the family.

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