Virginia Mae Kearney

Virginia Mae Kearney was born on January 7, 1925 in Hannibal, Missouri and died December 29, 2008 at Cherry Creek Nursing Home in Aurora, Colorado of Alzheimer's disease. She is survived by her sister-in-law Mildred (Kearney) Rogers, 3 nephews Rev. Steve Kearney of Mulberry, Florida, David Kearney of Aurora, Colorado, and Paul Becker of Spokane, Washington, and a niece Deborah Schutt of Centennial, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her father John A. Kearney, her mother Mildred (Shafer) Kearney, her brother Rev. Raymond L. Kearney, her sister Betty R. Becker, and her infant niece Lois Becker. She was a member of Galilee Baptist Church in Denver. Virginia joined The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) from her home town of Burlington, Iowa, following her graduation from Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon. In 1951, she was appointed a missionary with TEAM, working first at the headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and then in 1954 moving to Swaziland, South Africa. She worked in the headquarters office in Vryheid, Natal from 1955 to 1966 and worked with the Coloureds and Indians in both locations. Then she moved to the Mosvold Mission Hospital in Ingwavuma, KwaZulu in 1968 as the office administrator and bookkeeper for two years. Her final assignment in South Africa was in Johannesburg as field headquarters secretary and bookkeeper and she remained there until 1991. She returned for 6 month assignments to relieve missionaries on furlough several times during her retirement in Denver, Colorado where she moved in 1991 to be near her family. In Denver Virginia worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship, worked one morning each week in the church office of Galilee Baptist Church and served on the church Outreach Missions Committee. She also lead a ladies Bible study at Windsor Gardens where she lived. She relocated to Cherry Creek Retirement Village in Aurora, Colorado and most recently to Juniper Village, an Alzheimer's care center in Aurora. A funeral service will be held at Galilee Baptist Church, 1091 South Parker Road, Denver, Colorado on Friday, January 2, 2009 at 10:00 A.M. with burial at Fairmount Cemetery. Rev. Steve Kearney , Rev. Bill Cheyne and Dr. Frank Dennis will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made i Virginia's name to Child Evangelism Fellowship, 1178 S. Kalamath St., Denver, CO 80223. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 3201 S. Parker Road, Aurora, Colorado, (303) 745-8804.