Virginia Magdalene Witte Shave

Virginia (Ginny) was born in Orchard Park, NY on August 14, 1918, the first child of Rev. Ernst L. and Ludmilla D. Witte. Her family moved to Kingston, NY where she graduated high school in 1936. She attended Buffalo State Teachers College, graduating in 1942. She was teaching art in the Kingston Public Schools when T.Sgt. Richard (Dick) Shave hitch-hiked to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kingston while he was stationed at West Point. Her mother invited the handsome serviceman to dinner, they fell in love and were married on July 8, 1945. Through the years, Ginny had always been active in church work. She and husband, Dick were instrumental in the forming of St. Paul Lutheran Church while living in Cassopolis, MI in the early 1950's.
The Shave family moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1959. She and Dick were active members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Biloxi until 1961, when they were again part of forming a new congregation, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in what was then Handsboro. Ginny taught Sunday school and was a member of Lutheran Women's Missionary League. From 1965 until 1983, she taught kindergarten first at Good Shepherd and then at Holy Trinity.
After retirement, she and Dick traveled around the US and Canada, visiting family and friends and attending numerous conferences and conventions. She remained active at Holy Trinity, serving as altar-guild chairwoman until 2007.
Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, her brother William Witte, sons-in-law, David A. Corban and Robert C. Runnels and great-granddaughter, Magdalene Rose Marshall.
She is survived by Richard, her loving husband of 66 years of Collins, MS (formally of Gulfport); daughters Linell Shave Corban of Jackson and Martha Shave Runnels of Mendenhall, four grandchildren; Robin (Parham) Bridges of Gulfport, Jonathan (Misty) Marshall also of Gulfport, James (Erin) Corban of Jackson, Jennifer Corban of Flagstaff, AZ and four great-grandchildren; Shane Marshall, Tabitha Bridges, Taitum Lambert of Gulfport and Lorelei Corban of Jackson.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Biloxi. Burial will precede services.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, is in charge of arrangements, and tributes may be offered at www.riemannfamily.com.
The family request any memorials be made to the Lutheran Layman's League (www.lhm.org,) or to the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (lwml.org.)