Virginia Gelroth

January 22, 1932 – September 7, 2014

Virginia Carol Lowell Gelroth, 82, of Arvada, Colorado, died Sunday, September 7 at Mountain Vista Retirement Community in Wheatridge, Colorado.

Virginia was born January 22, 1932 on her grandfather’s farm south of Castle Rock, Colorado, the eldest child of Erwin Grant and Ethel Virginia (Reynolds) Lowell. She attended schools in Louviers, Colorado, and graduated from Douglas County High School in Castle Rock with the class of 1949. On October 22, 1949, she was united in marriage to Vernon Eugene Gelroth, a union that lasted almost 65 years.

Virginia worked in a variety of businesses in the Denver-Metro area including: Arapahoe County Court House in Littleton; Sundstrand Corporation in Denver; Tastee Freez near Arvada West High School; and at Arvada West High School, as the first “Rent-a-Cop” (security guard) for more than 21 years, (about 1971 to 1992).

Virginia invested her time, energy, and love in the formation of responsible youth. As a registered adult Girl Scout in the Mile-Hi Council (now GSCO) Virginia co-led her daughters’ Brownie, Junior, Cadette, and Senior troops and received the highest volunteer award, the Thanks Badge for 25 years of Service. She and her husband Vern were youth group leaders at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Arvada during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Survivors include her husband Vernon Eugene Gelroth of Arvada and four children: Joe and Janette (Dooley) Gelroth of Manhattan, Kansas; Carol Green of New Braunfels, Texas; Beth and Jeff Klein of Mishawaka, Indiana; and John and Melody (Bennett) Gelroth of Colorado Springs. Also surviving is one brother, Gene (Gus) Lowell and his wife Helen of Huntington Beach, California. She is survived by 14 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Sharon Duty, and by her infant son James Henry (d 1958) and Veona Kay (d 2011).

Virginia’s service is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept 16, 2014 at King of Glory Lutheran Church, 10001 W. 58th Avenue, Arvada, Colorado, 80002. Viewing will precede the service from 12 noon to 1 pm with a reception to follow in the Parish hall. Inurnment will be at Olinger Chapel Hill Memorial Garden, Littleton.

See Virginia’s Dignity Memorial Obituary Here:

Dignity Memorial