Virginia Marie Waechter, 94, of North Platte, departed this life on August 14, 2018 at Great Plains Health. She was born on her father’s farm near St. Paul, NE on September 30, 1923, the tenth child of Anton “Tony” and Tekla (Gnaster) Cortas. The Cortas family name was later changed to Curtis. She attended common school at St. Anthony’s Catholic Parish in Farwell, and grade school at District 8 of Howard County. In 1936, she moved with her parents to North Platte. She attended St. Patrick’s High School, graduating as valedictorian in 1940. She worked as a laundress at St. Mary’s Hospital, and later as a dental assistant to Dr. Fitzpatrick.
She was united in the Sacrament of Marriage by Fr. Patrick McDaid at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on December 2919, 1941 to Hilbert “Boss” Waechter. They made their home farming near Hershey until moving to the Platte Valley School Community in 1947 to farm and ranch. “Boss” passed away June 21, 1985, the result of a June 3, 1985, farming accident. On August 22, 1995, she and Roscoe “Mike” Jordan eloped to marry at St. Charles Catholic Church in St. Francis, South Dakota. “Mike” died August 25, 2006 of cancer.
Virginia was a member of St. Patrick’s Altar Society, Catholic Daughters, Without a Spouse, Platte Valley Women’s Club, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Eagles Shuffleboard Team, R.S.V.P., and a volunteer of the Bargain Bin and her Monday Pitch Club.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, “Boss” and “Mike”; daughter, Judy Krzykowski White; son, Jim Waechter; son-in-law, Ray Krzykowski; sisters, Maggie (Ed) Zalewski, Anna (John) Kowalski, Vic (Pete) Nowak, Lottie (Vince) Krzycki, Clara (Charles) Ford, Teresa (Art) McCormick; brothers, Ed (Tilly) Curtis, Roman (Dorothy) Curtis and Lloyd (Emma) Curtis.
Left to cherish her memory her son, Bill Waechter of Loveland, CO; daughter, Peggy (Jeff) Orr of North Platte; sister-in-law, Jane Johnson of North Platte; son-in-law, Bob White of North Platte; daughter-in-law, Connie Waechter-Yost and special “son-by-marriage” John “Earl” Yost of Sarasota, FL; special daughter-in-law, Daphne Airan (Jordan) of Lincoln, NE; goddaughters, Noreen Malchow, Joyce (Mike) Rice, and Suzie “Clint” Hebbert; nine grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; 8 great great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Rosary will be 7:00p.m. Thursday, August 16, 2018 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, with family receiving friends, prior to the rosary. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 17, 2018 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with The Reverend Josh Brown and The Reverend Mark Seiker as con-celebrants. Burial will be at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are requested for the “Jim Waechter Memorial Scholarship” at Chadron State Foundation, 1000 Main, Chadron, NE 69337. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.