Virginia Pillen, 99, of Newcastle, WY, passed from this life on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at her home in Newcastle.   A funeral service will be held at 11:00am, on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Newcastle.  Dedication of the grave will follow in Greenwood Cemetery in Newcastle.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Virginia was born September 21, 1923, in the Opal Vicinity of Meade County South Dakota. Her parents were Stoakley Tibble and Grace Blanche (Ordway) Tibble. Virginia was the youngest of five daughters, raised on a homestead where they were taught to work and help care for the cattle, horses, pigs, and chickens, along with each other. All of the children attended country school through eighth grade. With a small country school as the only option, Virginia was blessed to have had two of her older sisters as her teachers for part of the time. When she was a sophomore in high school, it became expedient that she forego her education to care for her ailing sister, as her parents were unable to pay for room and board for her to stay in town 80 miles away to go to school. When she first started high school in Sturgis, South Dakota, she attended a dance at Whitewood, South Dakota, and was there introduced to a tall, blonde, good-looking young man, and boy, could he dance! He ushered her home from the dance, and they started courting, until the spring. After asking for permission from her dad, Nathan and Virginia were married on April 6, 1939 at Rainbow Cliff between Sturgis, South Dakota, and Deadwood, South Dakota. They drove up in a sedan with the Reverend and Mrs. Erskine & Faye and Les. With rain pouring all around and unable to exit the vehicle, the Reverend turned around in the front seat and married them in the car! Their adventurous marriage had begun.

Nathan was in the Army Motor pool at Fort Meade, South Dakota. He was discharged in June, but remained in the Reserves. In April 1940, they became parents of a baby girl, whom they named Paula Lerae. They moved to Deadwood where Gary Lawrence, their first son, was born in March 1944. Their next move was to a ranch in Meade County, South Dakota, where they lived until Nathan's declining health caused them to have to leave the ranch. After a brief stint in California, where she and Nathan both worked at an airplane parts factory, they made their way back to Newcastle, Wyoming, which ended up being their permanent home. It was here in 1957 the family was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was a blessing and opportunity to learn about the Lord. Virginia was always a devout and active member of the Church, teaching Sunday school, Relief Society, and Primary. Her strong testimony sets an example of faith, love, and service to her family and all who knew her. While residing in Newcastle, two more boys were added to the family, Corey Warren in 1955, and Rickey Joe in 1964.

Virginia was always wanting to improve and exemplified being a lifelong learner, so when she was 56 years old, on May 21, 1980, while working full-time in the cafeteria for the local school district, she went to night school and received her GED. She loved to be of service to others and for many years worked as a Red Cross volunteer at the local hospital. She was also an avid and devoted member of the Busy Beavers women's club. Virginia always thought of herself as a homemaker, and like everything, she did it well!

She is survived by her four children, Paula McDougall (Wayne), Gary Pillen (Kathy), Corey Pillen (Julia), Rick Pillen (Susan), 22 beautiful grandchildren, 43 wonderful great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. She's preceded in death by her husband, Nathan Pillen, parents Stoakley Tibble and Grace Ordway Tibble, sisters Alice Whitaker Gladys Shrull, Faye Lesselyoung, and Nelly Tibble. Two grandsons, Paul Pillen and Wyatt Pillen, one great granddaughter, Trinity McDougall, and one daughter-in-law, Bonnie Pillen.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Roberts & Isburg Funeral Chapel of Sundance, WY.