Virginia "Ginny" Henderson

Virginia “Ginny” (Olson) Henderson, age 85, of Viroqua WI passed away peacefully at the Norseland Nursing Home surrounded by family on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Ginny was born July 5, 1938, in Mt. Sterling, WI, to Agnes (Emerson) Olson and Melvin O. Olson where she grew up on a small rural farm in DeSoto. Her family consisted of 9 siblings from which challenges and sacrifices became the foundation for her dedication and love of her two adopted children (Lisa and Eric) and all her grandchildren (Alec, Connor, Courtney, Cailey, and Cameron) who loved their “Grandma Ginny” and showed it often.

She married Gerald G. “Jerry” Henderson in 1958 where they resided in Rockford, Illinois until they moved to Viroqua for better jobs and to raise their children near family, which was so important to Ginny. They were inseparable together raising and loving their two children while Jerry drove trucks for Arneson Wholesalers until his health challenges in 1979 which ultimately overcame him in October 1989. Ginny worked selling Avon and was proud of her 27-year long career at NCR until she retired. To keep busy Ginny also worked part-time at The Dollar Store in Viroqua and at Thorson Funeral Home.

During her many years living in her new hometown of Viroqua, Ginny enjoyed family camping vacations and following the typical lives of her children and their various sports and musical school events. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and enjoyed traveling to visit her grandchildren in Minnesota and New Jersey. An Alaskan Cruise and a Caribbean Cruise celebrating her first grandsons’ graduation were a couple highlights in her life. She also traveled with a special friend, Otis Klinger out west to visit her sister and family. Ginny played cards weekly with lifelong friends who all supported her in her final days.

On her 85th birthday celebration, her grandchildren and family traveled from various states to join her friends and neighbors from her card group and NCR, her siblings, and family from surrounding towns, all to celebrate the "85 Years of Ginny" inspired by her solid faith in God and Country that influenced the lives of all those who knew her.

Ginny will be remembered most for being a good mom, which was always a matter of her love and dedication to family. Her joy in sharing photos on Facebook with her grandchildren was her daily fulfillment.

Ginny is survived by her daughter Lisa (Joe) Caruso of Moorestown, NJ; her son Eric (Missy) Henderson of Rogers, MN, her grandchildren, Alec Cohen, Connor, Courtney, Cailey, and Cameron Henderson; her sisters Helen (Gary) Lawrence, Gladys Swenson, Beverly (Art) Benson; brother Merlin (Sharon) Olson; brother-in-law Jim Taylor, friends like family to her Vickie and John Doan.

She was preceded in death by her Husband, Gerald “Jerry”; parents, Agnes and Melvin; sisters, Mildred Koch, Phyllis Taylor, Lillian Thorson and brother, George Olson; and brothers-in-law, Ronald Koch and David Swenson.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at Thorson-Popp Funeral and Cremation Services. Burial will follow in the Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua. Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Thorson-Popp Funeral and Cremation Services in Viroqua is entrusted with her services.