Virginia Lee Alles

Virginia Lee Alles, age 87, of Hastings, died on June 2, 2018. She was born June 29, 1930 in Fort Wayne IN, the daughter of Earl T Riedy and Ruth Barnett Riedy. Virginia grew up and attended schools in Fort Wayne. She went on to become a Registered Nurse at the St Jospeph School of Nursing, graduating in 1951. Virginia married Ivo P Alles on 2/11/1956. Due to his advancing career choices, the family moved over the years. They had two children, Karen S and John Perry. Ivo passed away February 1, 1999.

Virginia worked as a nurse in Fort Wayne and Columbus Ohio. In 1964 the family moved to Titusville FL where Ivo began work at the Kennedy Space Center. Virginia opened an antique shop. After five years, the space program slowed down, and the family moved back to Fort Wayne IN. After a search for a new career, the family moved to Grand Ledge Michigan where Virginia opened another antique store and learned to work on antique clocks. During all these years, she continued her hobbies of playing bridge, wood working, boating, and family. In 1976 the family moved to Hastings. Virginia resumed nursing at what is now Tender Care.

During the 80s she took up clowning and began working for J-ad Graphics doing ad sales for 27 years. She met many, many people in the Barry County area. After Ivo retired, they started spending winters in Florida. Virginia taught 108 seniors to be clowns in Florida where they visited hospice homes and shelters for abused children.

Virginia is preceded in death by her loving husband, Ivo, her parents, her sisters and their husbands; Ruthmary and Paul Springel and Betty and Bernerd Reuille as well as many family members on the Alles side of the family.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Joe) Harton, and son, John (Tammy) Alles, as well as three grandchildren, Tony McCausey, Michelle McCausey, and Kendall Alles, and three great grandchildren, Carter McCausey, and Pearl and Liam Turowski. Through the marriages of Karen and John, she also gained six more grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Since Virginia had a special love for the smile of children, we ask that in lieu of flowers, you make contributions to the St Jude's Hospital at www.stjude.org or the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital at www.spectrumhealth.org

There is a funeral mass officiated by Fr Joseph scheduled for 11 am Thursday, June 7, 2018 at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Hastings. A luncheon and time to share will follow and then interment at the Riverside Cemetery.

Services are provided through Girrbach Funeral Home. A special thank you for the compassionate care provided by Thornapple Manor and Great Lakes Caring Hospice.