Virginia A. Nelson

Virginia A. Nelson, 93, a beloved mother and local entrepreneur, passed away peacefully Sunday, September 12, 2021, at New Perspective, Silvis, Illinois.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 on Thursday, September 16, at Sacred Heart Church, Moline, followed by a private burial at the Moline Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Rock Island County Historical Society or a favorite charity.

Virginia (Ginger) was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the only daughter of James and Marion (McBane) Toohey and great- granddaughter of an early Iowa pioneer family.

Virginia lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before moving to Moline in her junior year of high school. She graduated from

Moline High School and went on to attend Augustana College, and became a member of the Phi Rho Sorority. She married Franklin L. Nelson on April 22, 1950 in Moline.

Virginia started her career as a Rock Island County tax assessor and then as a realtor for Mel Foster. Virginia, with her partner Carol Doyle, started the first female-owned realty company in the Quad-Cities – Doyle Nelson & Co. She was a long-standing member of the Illinois Realtor Association. Virginia went on to start the Pie Company with her partner Bernice Mason. She is credited with creating the first Chipper ice cream sandwich for Whitey’s Ice Cream -- named after her son Chipper— as well as the famous Whitey’s ice cream pies.

Virginia took pride in her contribution to her community. She served on the Moline Planning Commission, the Board of Directors for Friendship Manor, and a member of the Carolyn Getz Circle of Kings Daughters, which was one of the groups operating the Thrift Shop downtown Moline. She also volunteered her time with Meals on Wheels and the Food Bank. She loved entertaining, playing bridge, traveling the world, sewing quilts, designing purses, and creating Halloween costumes for grandchildren. She enjoyed time spent as a member of Short Hills Country Club. She was a talented cook and was loved for her sour cream raisin pie, Christmas cream wafers, Texas sheet cake, sugar sandwiches, and Sunday night dinners for the whole family. She left behind so many good memories of family vacations to Dauphin Island, picking and eating raspberries off her bushes, creative uses of her copy machine by grandchildren, and her not-so-secret candy drawer. Her home was open to friends, children, and children’s friends. She allowed pets of all kinds in the home -- from cats and dogs to rabbits, snakes, fish, hamsters, and a lamb.

The true love of her life was her family. Both Virginia and Frank were only children who chose to fill their home with a bunch of loud, fun-loving children. Credit goes to Virginia for raising such a close family that no one wanted to miss a Sunday dinner. Being seated together at the children’s table led to a life-time of close friendships for all the young cousins. After dinner, there were always rounds of cards and games to be played.

Survivors (and spouses) include her daughters Susan (Kevin) Blackall, Moline, and Janet (Dennis) Donnelly, Des Moines, Iowa; her sons Richard “Chipper” (Suzanne) Nelson, Jeffrey (Kimberly) Nelson, and John (Elisabeth) Nelson, all of Moline. Virginia is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Jennifer (Mark) Mitchell, Emmeli Blackall, Hillary (James) Leach, Megan (Kyle) Cibula, Brett (Josh) Nelson, Kara (Tyler) Wiesemeyer, Alex Nelson, Lindsey Nelson, Benjamin Nelson, Luke

Donnelly, and Molly Donnelly, and 13 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her son Randall E. Nelson.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and express online condolences at wendtfuneralhome.com