Virginia Lea DeLand, born on June 24, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, left an indelible mark on the world, passing away on December 8, 2023, surrounded by the love of her family.

Growing up in St. Louis as the daughter of Charles and Dorothy Hayward, Virginia's childhood was a template for later in life interests and her investment in community. Her father was a practicing trial lawyer who loved boisterous debate and always stood up for the underdog. Her home life constantly included rotating guests, neighbors, and she fondly reflected on her parents' generosity when they regularly took all of the neighborhood kids for ice cream during summer evenings.

Virginia's journey with her lifelong partner, Loren, began at Washington University in St. Louis, where their shared love for jazz and Dixieland music flourished. Professionally, she ventured into real estate sales during this time. After marriage on September 3, 1960, their shared adventure led them to Montana, where they built their home in 1973, showcasing Virginia's remarkable skills as a designer, financier, project manager, laborer, and cook. This labor of love was a testament to her determination and creativity, all while juggling the responsibilities of raising children, working, and finding time to enjoy the community activities in Missoula and Montana.

As a passionate activist, Virginia joined the Missoula-based environmental group Gals Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) in the 1970s. Her instrumental work in organizing the group contributed to establishing air quality standards and bringing clean air back to the Missoula Valley.

Virginia was an organizer who knew the power of collective action and cultivated connection among parents, students, educators, etc. that changed the Montana K-12 education system to support people with special needs and disabilities. She pioneered new ideas such as the formation the first parent teacher association (PTA) for parents of children with disabilities in the state, giving voice and power to the community. She tirelessly lobbied the Montana State Legislature ultimately passing legislation which integrated learning for individuals with disabilities into classrooms across the state.

Virginia worked for 'Parents, Let's Unite for Kids' (PLUK) (1985-2006) as an advocate for students, talented mediator and educator. She taught seminars across the state to parents and educators alike and worked with families and administrators to turn conflict into shared action. She guided parents of children with disabilities in how to navigate the school systems and advocate effectively. She was tenacious in her efforts for students, leveraging humor, her endless energy, honesty, and a pragmatic acceptance of reality.

Missoula County 4-H filled her life with a prolific garden, cows, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits and the opportunity to serve as an amateur veterinarian. These animals and the kids who loved them created a community for the family that was grounded in generosity, volunteerism and reciprocity.

She supported the founding and operations of Shining Mountain School, a K-12 student led alternative learning curriculum school, to ensure that students could find the joy in education that she carried her entire life.

Virginia's life was a rich tapestry of recreational pursuits. Boating on Flathead Lake, horse-packing the Wind River mountain range, and enjoying four decades of skiing across Montana, Utah, Idaho, and Canada reflected her adventurous spirit. She traveled extensively, both within the United States and to 30 countries worldwide, appreciating the diverse cultures she encountered.

Virginia found joy in jazz festivals, Grand Opera, the Missoula Symphony, and the Missoula International Choral Festival. She was a lifelong learner, prolific reader, scholar, and took particular interest in the foundations of the great experiment that is the United States' representative democracy. Retirement became a renaissance of personal growth for Virginia, often filling her schedule with so many continuing education classes she'd leave little time for rest. Virginia would promise herself every time a new course catalogue arrived, not to overbook herself but could never turn down the opportunity to study something new and interesting. She embarked on her first foreign language classes in Spanish at the age of 65. Ballroom dance (Tango) at the age of 66. She started her pursuits in painting working in watercolor, pencil sketch, and pen and ink at the age of 67. Virginia painted everywhere she traveled, she studied art in China, exhibited work in Missoula Mt, and reprints of her watercolors have reached hundreds.  Her thirst for knowledge couldn't be quenched; even during her final yearlong battle with ovarian cancer when doctor appointments and chemo infusions took up most of her time she continued taking Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (MOLLI) classes from the U of M when she could fit it in.

Virginia was an incredible hostess, weaving the fabric of memories throughout gatherings that included book clubs, Spanish clubs, painting groups, weddings, funerals, and holiday parties. Her warmth and hospitality touched the lives of many.

Virginia was an exceptional mother of two daughters(Lisa Marie DeLand, Lauren Hayward DeLand) and occasional parent to eleven more children. She opened her heart and her hearth to anyone who needed shelter, some stayed longer than others, and some left too quickly, but all of them would see her as a protector, mother, and mentor: Aaron Hartman (deceased), godson Loren Hartman (deceased), Linda Caler, Jackie Lane, Kim Lane, Nicki Cavaliere, Ruth Hackney, Katie McClure-Miller, Chris Alexander, Mitch Gothier, and Levi Lewis.

Virginia Lea DeLand will be remembered not only for her remarkable accomplishments but for the love, warmth, and wisdom she shared with those fortunate enough to know her. Her legacy is marked by her commitment to community, fostering connection through her enduring advocacy for environment, education, and marginalized people.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 65 years Loren Ford DeLand, brother in-law Tom DeLand (Elaine DeLand), her children, Lisa, Lauren (Travis Nichols), and grand-child Lea NicLand.

A celebration of Virginia's life is planned for June 22, 2024, Missoula, MT.  Celebration of life RSVP link.  https://virginialeadeland.rsvpify.com