Virginia Grout Auer

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great-grandmother passed away in the presence of her family on the afternoon of Sunday, March 26th. She was a North Denver girl from the start, born to Harry and May Grout on Newton Street, brought up on Clay St, the middle child of seven. She attended St Catherine's Grade School and St Francis De Sales High School and was a devout Catholic her entire life, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mom spent her youth helping build Owaissa, the family cabin in Indian Hills, and getting to know the mountains and the animal and bird life that surround the area. Her next 80 years were filled with family and friends--parties, cook outs, sleep overs, reunions, and celebrations of all kinds--up at her beloved Owaissa. She spent hours sitting on the glider on the back deck watching the birds and critters come down to eat all the seeds and nuts she fed them daily. She always had the gifts of wonder and delight in the small things of life, like the sun on aspen leaves and Steller's jays at the birdbath. Virginia married Michael Auer, from Mott, ND, on September 20, 1947, and they settled into raise a family of three boys and three girls in the traditional greatest generation style, in St Vincent de Paul parish. After their children were grown and gone, Virginia and Mike moved back to North Denver living first at Francis Heights and then Day Spring Assisted Living and finally Allison Care Center. Mike passed away on July 31, 2010, and oldest son Tom passed away on April 18, 2003; all other children and their families survive her. Mom loved Denver and spent her whole life here, leaving occasionally to visit family and friends around the US and to attend WWII reunions with Mike. She loved to see new places and visit old friends and once even snuck over to Galway, Ireland, with her daughters to see if all the stories she had been told were true. She had a grand time for sure and spoke of that trip endlessly. Virginia had many hobbies and interests. She was a world-renowned rescue Pomeranian dog lover (and spoiler of Cooper), an avid book reader, card player, plant lover, music and art lover, written word correspondent, M & M addict, angel and Blessed Virgin Mary statue collector, birder and wild animal lover. Mom also had an extensive collection of rosaries from all over the world, brought to her by family and friends for decades. She was a family historian and storyteller and kept alive all the lore from the Lynch, Horrigan, Lyons, and Grout families, accompanied by thousands of photos of old relatives she could identify by name. She is survived by her daughter Alice (husband Ken and grandson Joe and his partner Shelli and great-grandsons Coyle and Boston, and great-granddaughter Berlin of Denver, and grandson Stephen of Seattle, WA, grandson Mike and his wife Susan and great-grandchildren Patrick and Lauren of Dardenne Prairie, MO, grandson John and his wife Kendra and daughter Corrinne of Sarver, PA; daughter Marilyn (Lila and Bisou) of Denver; daughter Gloria (grandsons Joe Bein of Longmont, CO, and Sam Bein, Ph.D. of Hamburg, Germany); son Dan (wife Bonnie, of Vashon Island, WA, and grandsons Callum of Portland, OR, and Sawyer of Bellingham, WA); son David (Christine of Littleton, CO, and grandson Ryan and his wife Jennie, great-granddaughters Della and Lucy of Brooklyn NY, grandson Randy Archiquette and great-granddaughters Madison and Kiley of Tampa, FL, and grandson Shane Archiquette of Los Angeles (and great-grandson Solomon Archiquette of Littleton, CO). She is also survived by nephews Father John Auer of Bailey, CO, and Bill Auer of Sedona, AZ. Virginia is survived by 24 nieces and nephews on the Grout side of the family, 9 on the Auer side, and numerous Horrigan cousins. Her brothers Joe, Harry, Billy, and Tom and sisters Evelyn and Helene are already in heaven. She is survived by Rosemary Grout (Joe's widow) of Madison, WI, and Jane Auer (Jerry Auer's widow) of New London, WI, and their families. Services have been entrusted to Horan & McConaty Funeral Services. Visitation and Rosary are to be held Thursday, March 30, 2017 at 6pm at Saint Dominic's Catholic Church. Funeral Mass to be held Friday, March 31, 2017 at 10am at Saint Dominic's Catholic Church (2905 Federal Blvd. Denver, CO 80211). Reception to follow Mass. A private family burial will take place at a later date at Fort Logan National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Memorial Donations can be made in Virginia's honor to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. 2323 55th St, Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 442-4030 Please share condolences and memories with the family in the guestbook below.