Virginia 'Ginni' Siblerud 79
Virginia “Ginni” Gaye (Loy) Siblerud passed away on Feb. 7, 2024. She was lovingly surrounded by her family when Jesus called her home.
She was born to William (Bill) Loy and Ruby Loy on July 28, 1944, in Kalispell and grew up in Whitefish where she enjoyed being a cheerleader in high school. Later, Ginni moved to Washington State to attend Pacific Lutheran University. In 1963 she was crowned Whitefish Winter Carnival Queen. She later moved to Spokane to study at Kinman Business University. Ginni met her husband Lonnie on a blind date in Kalispell in 1964 and they were married in Whitefish in 1965. Ginni worked in the banking industry while Lonnie finished his pharmacy degree in Missoula, Montana until their daughter Juleen was born in 1968. They then moved to Medford, Oregon, where their second daughter Tammi was born in 1970. Later that year they moved to Spokane Valley, Washington, where they lived for 54 years.
Ginni’s lifelong passion was music. She sang in a trio in grade school through high school and in a choir in college. She taught Cherub (children’s) Choir for 25 years and also directed a gospel group named Heaven Bound. She loved singing harmony during worship at church every Sunday, and her trio sang at the World’s Fair in Seattle, Washington, in 1962. Ginni also loved playing recreational volleyball, teaching aerobics, water skiing, and snow skiing and was teaching water aerobics in her neighbor’s pool up until this past summer. She loved the water. Most of her summer weekends were spent at their place on Coeur d’Alene Lake when she and Lonnie were raising their girls. She looked forward to returning to Montana for yearly reunions to reconnect with family. She enjoyed traveling to many places over the years. Lonnie & Ginni were also youth leaders at Christ Lutheran Church. They experienced extraordinary joy and had so much fun as a couple during their 58-year marriage.
Ginni was highly active in her community and most notably enjoyed women’s Bible studies, hosting home fellowship groups for 40 years, and loved playing Pinochle, Bunco, Hand & Foot (and Toe) and many other games with dear friends. She also loved flower gardening, cooking, baking and especially making lefse with her family. She was an amazing hostess to family and friends.
Ginni will always be remembered as kindhearted, friendly, and welcoming to all. She had a beautiful smile that reflected Christ within her.
Ginni was preceded in death by her sisters-in-law Judy Siblerud and Joyce Schmautz.
She is survived by her husband Lonnie, daughters Juleen (Stuart) Vogelman and Tammi (Peter) Larson; grandsons Bennett, Daniel and Spencer Vogelman, and Elijah and Micah Larson. She is also survived by her brother Doug (Sandy) Loy and sister Julie (David) Grenrood; and sisters-in-law Lu Ann (Bob) Borgen and Janet (John) Bustad; and brother-in-law Alan Schmautz and numerous nieces and nephews that she loved dearly.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, April 27, at 2 p.m. at Valley Bible Church, 3021 S. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley, WA 99037.
In lieu of flowers, please send any contributions to Valley Bible Church toward their upcoming building project.
Virginia "Ginni" Siblerud