Virginia Rae (Finke) Urness

Virginia Rae (Finke) Urness, 89, died August 27, 2021 in Madison, surrounded by the love of her family. Virginia was born March 7, 1932 to Stanley and Dorothy Finke in Black Earth. Virginia married Norton J. Urness at Vermont Lutheran Church on June 14, 1950 and moved to the family farm in Vermont Township.  In addition to her life as wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Virginia worked at Badger Bakery creating beautiful wedding cakes (as well as those she made for her children and other relatives). She was an operator for the Black Earth Telephone Company, a clerk at Patron’s Mercantile, worked at Fesenfeld Chevrolet, Madison Gas & Electric, the Community Action Commission for Dane County Social Services, and, before her retirement, as court clerk for Judge Gerry Nichols. Virginia was a delegate for the Madison Friendship Force, a Girl Scout leader, elected to the Wisconsin Heights School Board, and served as their delegate to CESA. She was an active member of Vermont Lutheran Church and served as council president, Sunday School superintendent, part of the ELCW, and sang in the choir. She also served as the Vermont Town Clerk for many years. She and Nortie were avid travelers, both in their motor home and in Europe, often taking their children, grandchildren, and friends along for the adventure. In 2017, Virginia treated her children and their families to a trip to the Christkindlesmarkte in Germany and Austria, which she often remarked was one of her favorite family experiences. She was an expert seamstress, an avid reader, and in the past six years enjoyed coffee and bingo with her friends and neighbors in Evia Apartments, Verona.  She is survived by her children: Jon (Judy) Urness, Edie (Bob) Urness-Pondillo, Maria (fiance Greg Ebert) Klemme, Melissa (Patrick) Sinner; grandchildren: Air Force Master Sgt Matthew Lickel, Emily (Luke) de Andrade, Britta Urness, John Klemme, Macallan Currie, Henley Sinner, Riley (Cami) Sinner, Thomas Klemme, Sarah Klemme, Army Specialist Maxwell Sinner, Valencia Sinner; great-grandson, Jack Norton Klemme; siblings: Audrey (Ron) Huseth, Roger (Barb) Finke, Bobbi (Steve) Rounds; and sister-in-law, Ann Urness Gesme. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norton, daughter Christina, granddaughter Elizabeth, her parents, and sister Myrna Trumble. A funeral service will be held on November 27, 2021 at Vermont Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Virginia’s name to The Vermont Lutheran Church Legacy Fund, 9886 Vermont Church Rd, Black Earth, WI 53515.