Virginia Belle Lewis, age 86, lost her battle with non-small cell lung cancer on Monday June 10, 2019.
Virginia was born in Maywood, Missouri on March 9, 1933, to George Wilbur (G.W.) and Rilla
Mae (Bondurant) Nesbitt. In the spring of 1938, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon where
they lived until returning to a farm near Monticello, Missouri, in January 1946. Following
graduation in 1951 from Lewistown High School, she entered nurse’s training at Blessing
Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. In 1954, upon successfully completing her state board exams she
became a licensed registered professional nurse. Additionally, she attended Culver Stockton
College in Canton, Missouri and in 1958 received a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In 1959,
to enhance her nursing qualifications, she completed a post graduate program in Operating
Room Management at the University of Chicago.
On July 31, 1960, she was united in marriage to Marvin Lewis at the First Baptist Church in St,
Joseph, Missouri. They lived on a farm near Ruskin, Nebraska until April 2014 when they
moved to the Good Samaritan Village in Hastings, Nebraska.
Initially, Virginia worked as the school nurse in Superior, Nebraska. In 1962, she began her 46
year career at Brodstone Memorial Hospital where she worked in numerous roles. In addition
to her work as a floor nurse, she was the Director of Nurses for a number of years and when
the need arose, she became the interim administrator of the hospital. However, her absolute
favorite role was that of the surgical nurse. In 1991, she was Employee of the Year.
As a newlywed, Virginia was an inexperienced cook. Over the years through trial and error, she
became a good cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals for her family and experimenting
with new recipes. She was especially known for her rye bread and coconut cream pies. At the
Bethany Lutheran Church fundraising Lord’s Acre Sale, her coconut cream pies were a popular,
highly anticipated item. Virginia also enjoyed spending time crocheting and quilting. Over the
years she crocheted many prayer shawls and beautiful afghans. It was important to her that
each of her grandchildren receive a quilt created specifically for them upon their high school
graduation.
Virginia was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin and selflessly volunteered many
hours for whatever jobs needed to be done. Upon moving to Hastings, she and Marvin
became associate members of St. Paul Lutheran Church where she continued to volunteer as
she was able.
Predeceasing her are her parents and brother, Hubert Nesbitt. Virginia is survived by her
husband of nearly 59 years, Marvin, her three children: Letha Kunkel and her husband Tom of
Avon, Connecticut, Jerald (Jerry) Lewis and his wife JoAnn of West Point, Nebraska and Neal
Lewis and his wife Marcy of Zionsville, Indiana; six grandchildren: Robert Kunkel of Chicago,
Illinois, Grace Kunkel of Boston, Massachusetts, Laura Kunkel of Avon, Connecticut, Erica
Lewis of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Alexandra and Gabriella Lewis of Zionsville, Indiana.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10:30 am on Friday June 14 at the Good Samaritan
Village Chapel 931 East F Street Hastings. A graveside service will be held at 2 pm at Spring
Creek Cemetery in Ruskin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Virginia’s memory may be made to
the Spring Creek Cemetery Foundation or Brodstone Memorial Hospital.
Virginia was born in Maywood, Missouri on March 9, 1933, to George Wilbur (G.W.) and Rilla
Mae (Bondurant) Nesbitt. In the spring of 1938, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon where
they lived until returning to a farm near Monticello, Missouri, in January 1946. Following
graduation in 1951 from Lewistown High School, she entered nurse’s training at Blessing
Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. In 1954, upon successfully completing her state board exams she
became a licensed registered professional nurse. Additionally, she attended Culver Stockton
College in Canton, Missouri and in 1958 received a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In 1959,
to enhance her nursing qualifications, she completed a post graduate program in Operating
Room Management at the University of Chicago.
On July 31, 1960, she was united in marriage to Marvin Lewis at the First Baptist Church in St,
Joseph, Missouri. They lived on a farm near Ruskin, Nebraska until April 2014 when they
moved to the Good Samaritan Village in Hastings, Nebraska.
Initially, Virginia worked as the school nurse in Superior, Nebraska. In 1962, she began her 46
year career at Brodstone Memorial Hospital where she worked in numerous roles. In addition
to her work as a floor nurse, she was the Director of Nurses for a number of years and when
the need arose, she became the interim administrator of the hospital. However, her absolute
favorite role was that of the surgical nurse. In 1991, she was Employee of the Year.
As a newlywed, Virginia was an inexperienced cook. Over the years through trial and error, she
became a good cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals for her family and experimenting
with new recipes. She was especially known for her rye bread and coconut cream pies. At the
Bethany Lutheran Church fundraising Lord’s Acre Sale, her coconut cream pies were a popular,
highly anticipated item. Virginia also enjoyed spending time crocheting and quilting. Over the
years she crocheted many prayer shawls and beautiful afghans. It was important to her that
each of her grandchildren receive a quilt created specifically for them upon their high school
graduation.
Virginia was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin and selflessly volunteered many
hours for whatever jobs needed to be done. Upon moving to Hastings, she and Marvin
became associate members of St. Paul Lutheran Church where she continued to volunteer as
she was able.
Predeceasing her are her parents and brother, Hubert Nesbitt. Virginia is survived by her
husband of nearly 59 years, Marvin, her three children: Letha Kunkel and her husband Tom of
Avon, Connecticut, Jerald (Jerry) Lewis and his wife JoAnn of West Point, Nebraska and Neal
Lewis and his wife Marcy of Zionsville, Indiana; six grandchildren: Robert Kunkel of Chicago,
Illinois, Grace Kunkel of Boston, Massachusetts, Laura Kunkel of Avon, Connecticut, Erica
Lewis of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Alexandra and Gabriella Lewis of Zionsville, Indiana.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10:30 am on Friday June 14 at the Good Samaritan
Village Chapel 931 East F Street Hastings. A graveside service will be held at 2 pm at Spring
Creek Cemetery in Ruskin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Virginia’s memory may be made to
the Spring Creek Cemetery Foundation or Brodstone Memorial Hospital.
Virginia Belle Lewis, age 86, lost her battle with non-small cell lung cancer on Monday June 10, 2019.
Virginia was born in Maywood, Missouri on March 9, 1933, to George Wilbur (G.W.) and Rilla
Mae (Bondurant) Nesbitt. In the spring of 1938, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon where
they lived until returning to a farm near Monticello, Missouri, in January 1946. Following
graduation in 1951 from Lewistown High School, she entered nurse’s training at Blessing
Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. In 1954, upon successfully completing her state board exams she
became a licensed registered professional nurse. Additionally, she attended Culver Stockton
College in Canton, Missouri and in 1958 received a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In 1959,
to enhance her nursing qualifications, she completed a post graduate program in Operating
Room Management at the University of Chicago.
On July 31, 1960, she was united in marriage to Marvin Lewis at the First Baptist Church in St,
Joseph, Missouri. They lived on a farm near Ruskin, Nebraska until April 2014 when they
moved to the Good Samaritan Village in Hastings, Nebraska.
Initially, Virginia worked as the school nurse in Superior, Nebraska. In 1962, she began her 46
year career at Brodstone Memorial Hospital where she worked in numerous roles. In addition
to her work as a floor nurse, she was the Director of Nurses for a number of years and when
the need arose, she became the interim administrator of the hospital. However, her absolute
favorite role was that of the surgical nurse. In 1991, she was Employee of the Year.
As a newlywed, Virginia was an inexperienced cook. Over the years through trial and error, she
became a good cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals for her family and experimenting
with new recipes. She was especially known for her rye bread and coconut cream pies. At the
Bethany Lutheran Church fundraising Lord’s Acre Sale, her coconut cream pies were a popular,
highly anticipated item. Virginia also enjoyed spending time crocheting and quilting. Over the
years she crocheted many prayer shawls and beautiful afghans. It was important to her that
each of her grandchildren receive a quilt created specifically for them upon their high school
graduation.
Virginia was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin and selflessly volunteered many
hours for whatever jobs needed to be done. Upon moving to Hastings, she and Marvin
became associate members of St. Paul Lutheran Church where she continued to volunteer as
she was able.
Predeceasing her are her parents and brother, Hubert Nesbitt. Virginia is survived by her
husband of nearly 59 years, Marvin, her three children: Letha Kunkel and her husband Tom of
Avon, Connecticut, Jerald (Jerry) Lewis and his wife JoAnn of West Point, Nebraska and Neal
Lewis and his wife Marcy of Zionsville, Indiana; six grandchildren: Robert Kunkel of Chicago,
Illinois, Grace Kunkel of Boston, Massachusetts, Laura Kunkel of Avon, Connecticut, Erica
Lewis of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Alexandra and Gabriella Lewis of Zionsville, Indiana.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10:30 am on Friday June 14 at the Good Samaritan
Village Chapel 931 East F Street Hastings. A graveside service will be held at 2 pm at Spring
Creek Cemetery in Ruskin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Virginia’s memory may be made to
the Spring Creek Cemetery Foundation or Brodstone Memorial Hospital.
Virginia was born in Maywood, Missouri on March 9, 1933, to George Wilbur (G.W.) and Rilla
Mae (Bondurant) Nesbitt. In the spring of 1938, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon where
they lived until returning to a farm near Monticello, Missouri, in January 1946. Following
graduation in 1951 from Lewistown High School, she entered nurse’s training at Blessing
Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. In 1954, upon successfully completing her state board exams she
became a licensed registered professional nurse. Additionally, she attended Culver Stockton
College in Canton, Missouri and in 1958 received a bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. In 1959,
to enhance her nursing qualifications, she completed a post graduate program in Operating
Room Management at the University of Chicago.
On July 31, 1960, she was united in marriage to Marvin Lewis at the First Baptist Church in St,
Joseph, Missouri. They lived on a farm near Ruskin, Nebraska until April 2014 when they
moved to the Good Samaritan Village in Hastings, Nebraska.
Initially, Virginia worked as the school nurse in Superior, Nebraska. In 1962, she began her 46
year career at Brodstone Memorial Hospital where she worked in numerous roles. In addition
to her work as a floor nurse, she was the Director of Nurses for a number of years and when
the need arose, she became the interim administrator of the hospital. However, her absolute
favorite role was that of the surgical nurse. In 1991, she was Employee of the Year.
As a newlywed, Virginia was an inexperienced cook. Over the years through trial and error, she
became a good cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals for her family and experimenting
with new recipes. She was especially known for her rye bread and coconut cream pies. At the
Bethany Lutheran Church fundraising Lord’s Acre Sale, her coconut cream pies were a popular,
highly anticipated item. Virginia also enjoyed spending time crocheting and quilting. Over the
years she crocheted many prayer shawls and beautiful afghans. It was important to her that
each of her grandchildren receive a quilt created specifically for them upon their high school
graduation.
Virginia was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin and selflessly volunteered many
hours for whatever jobs needed to be done. Upon moving to Hastings, she and Marvin
became associate members of St. Paul Lutheran Church where she continued to volunteer as
she was able.
Predeceasing her are her parents and brother, Hubert Nesbitt. Virginia is survived by her
husband of nearly 59 years, Marvin, her three children: Letha Kunkel and her husband Tom of
Avon, Connecticut, Jerald (Jerry) Lewis and his wife JoAnn of West Point, Nebraska and Neal
Lewis and his wife Marcy of Zionsville, Indiana; six grandchildren: Robert Kunkel of Chicago,
Illinois, Grace Kunkel of Boston, Massachusetts, Laura Kunkel of Avon, Connecticut, Erica
Lewis of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Alexandra and Gabriella Lewis of Zionsville, Indiana.
A celebration of her life will be held at 10:30 am on Friday June 14 at the Good Samaritan
Village Chapel 931 East F Street Hastings. A graveside service will be held at 2 pm at Spring
Creek Cemetery in Ruskin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Virginia’s memory may be made to
the Spring Creek Cemetery Foundation or Brodstone Memorial Hospital.
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