Virginia Eileene Aller, 78 of Burlington passed away Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Great River Hospice House in West Burlington.

            Born April 24, 1929 in Washington County, Iowa, she was the daughter of John Wesley and Myrtle May Young Meyer. 

            On December 30, 1950 she married Kenneth Aller at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Keota, Iowa.  He passed away April 22, 1999.

            Mrs. Aller graduated from Keota High School and University of Northern Iowa.  She taught schools in rural Keota and LaPorte City, Iowa.  After her husband’s discharge from the Air Force, they established their home in Burlington where he was a math teacher and coach.  Virginia did substitute teaching, worked for 12 years at Sears and 16 years at Grimes Elementary School.

            She was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church where she belonged to the St. Teresa’s Circle.  She did a lot of volunteering – Phelps House, Port of Burlington Welcome Center and 13 years in the gift shop at Great River Medical Center.  She was a member of Burlington Women’s Club where she held numerous offices and was voted Burlington Junior Women’s Club Mother of the Year in 1958.  She also served on the Advisory Counsel of Area Agency on Aging.

            Her interests were crafts, gardening, bridge and doing things with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Her hobby was making and collecting Santas.

            Mrs. Aller is survived by five children, Kathryn (Bob) Zurmuehlen, Linda (Cliff) Parrish, Lori (Larry) Staggs, all of Burlington, Karen Aller of Euless, Texas, and Michael (Susan) Aller of Fort Collins, Colorado; ten grandchildren, Kyla (Doug), Matt (Kristin), and Tony Zurmuehlen, Heather (Erik) Smith and Brandon Parrish, Kinsey and Michelle Diewold, Erica Staggs, Justin (Megan) and Scott Aller; six great grandchildren, Cody, Ella, Dalton, Kaitlyn, Travis and Cameron; one sister, Mildred Houseal of Washington; one brother-in-law, Merlin Aller; and several nieces and nephews.

            Her smile, kindness, and generosity will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  Memories of her will be with us always.

            She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one daughter Nancy and three brothers.

           A memorial has been established for Great River Hospice House.