Virginia Duff

Virginia Duff, 93 of Traverse City passed away peacefully Sunday January 3, 2016 at her home.

Born Alice Virginia Youker on May 13, 1922 to David and Wilhelmina (Witkop) Youker at the Witkop family home on Secor Road in Traverse City. Virginia was raised on a farm in Monroe Center and graduated in 1941 from Buckley High School. She married the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, Keith Duff on May 9, 1942. They began their long and wonderful marriage as a farmer and his wife raising their family of five daughters. Keith preceded her in death on February 11, 2003.

The years Virginia had remaining were spent daily with one or more of her daughters stopping by, taking her to estate sales, movies, to dinner or just to the grocery store. She was game for anything and said many times that Kathy could make going to the grocery store fun! Virginia had a weekly date for Wednesday lunch with her daughters. It was set in stone...When she was at her warm and cozy home, she spent hours making cross-stitch pillow cases and beautiful full-size quilts for her family and friends. Many of her friends and her daughters' friends were the beneficiaries of a set of pillow cases, and there is not one child in the family who hasn't been given one of her precious baby quilts which they have all treasured.

The selfless love that Virginia bestowed upon her large extended family and huge circle of friends will be felt for many years to come. The legacy she has bestowed has spread out to the world in countless ways. She will be missed beyond measure. Her years in Buckley were where she thought she was going to spend the rest of her days. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world when the old farmhouse was torn down to make way for a sleek, modern ranch home that was the pride of the family. Surrounded by white fences, with cattle and horses, mules, dogs and cats, it was a home where Virginia lovingly made Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas feasts for 30 to 40 family members including aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. To be invited to dinner at Virginia's home was to be welcomed warmly and to be treated to amazing food. She was particularly known for her pies and cinnamon rolls, which may never be replicated, but many are still trying. This past Christmas she made 11 batches of fudge which went out to her many friends and family near and far. On the day before she died she made an apple pie, and she made sure each of her beloved sons-in-law received a piece.

When Keith fell in love with an historic horse farm in Williamsburg, Virginia dutifully went along and made even more friends while enjoying the beautiful pond and gorgeous grounds of Millbrook. After many years there, they moved to Webster street, Virginia's favorite home of all, and interestingly, the street on which her Great-Grandfather Witkop settled after arriving from Holland, The Netherlands. From a few cows and chickens, he sold fresh milk and eggs to people in Traverse City before it was even named Traverse City!

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and an infant child born prematurely, James Keith in 1944. Although she could never in her life speak of it, having lost her baby son, we feel certain she is cradling that baby now surrounded by all her loved ones gone before. She was also preceded in death by her older brother, Bob Green, and sisters-in-law, Beth Hooper and Evelyn Youker. What a celebration they are having welcoming their beloved Virginia and singing around the piano in Heaven.

Surviving Virginia are her brother David Youker, Jr., sister-in-law Crystal (Clark) Langford as well as her five daughters, Brenda (Ross) Biederman, Joann (Philip) Rosi, Beki (Hank) Scheinberg, Nancie (Randy) Billingsley, and Kathy (Steve) Davis. Also surviving are her adored 12 grandchildren, Rachele Rosi-Kessel (Adam), Christopher Warren (Julie), Philip Rosi (Jayme), Emma Rosi-Marshall (Eric), Jenny Janjua (Kamran), Beau Warren (Jennifer), Lauren Scheinberg, Dane Billingsley, Jordan Scheinberg, Riley Billingsley, Jake Scheinberg and Logan Davis. Also surviving are 13 great-grandchildren and many others who called her "Grandma Duff". She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and her aunt, Ruth Goodman, 99, of Traverse City.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 8, 2016 from 4-7 at Reynolds-Jonkhoff funeral home and funeral services will be held Saturday, January 9 at 11 a.m. at Bible Baptist Church in Traverse City with a visitation beginning at 10 a.m.

Memorial donations may be directed to Bible Baptist Church, 1915 Cass Road, Traverse City, MI 49685.