Virginia Kay Whaley

WHALEY, Virginia Kay of Cleveland, Oklahoma, age 73 died Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 642 South Williams Road. Virginia Kay (Oliver) Whaley, born January 30, 1940, in Emporia, Kansas. She went to be with her Lord on December 11, 2013 at 10:55 am at her home on Keystone Lake near Cleveland, Oklahoma at the age of 73 years, ten months and twelve days. She was united in marriage on May 31, 1959 to her husband of 54 years, Larry J. Whaley in Arkansas City, Kansas. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents Virgil C. and Ruth Marie (Madison) Oliver. Survivors are her husband, Larry J. Whaley, of the home; two children, Mark A. and his wife, Teresa Whaley of Cleveland, Oklahoma and Shannon G. and her husband, Chester Beebe of Tulsa, Oklahoma; sister, Susan Andrews and her husband Jim of St. George, Utah; three grandchildren, Jeffery C. Guthrie, Jr. and his wife Lyndsay, Lucas Whaley, Logan Goldenstein; two great-grandchildren, Avery C. Guthrie and Leah Nicole Guthrie as well as numerous other relatives and friends. Virginia graduated from high school in Arkansas City, Kansas and completed two years of college at Emporia State University. She was a avid gardener, artist and loved to fish. Virginia and Larry owned and operated several A&W Root Beer drive ins in the Oklahoma City Area. For forty four years each fall they would operate their root beer concession at the state fair of Oklahoma. The longest running concession in state fair history. It was not unusual for Virginia to go to Skiatook Lake and stay for a couple of weeks and camp and fish while Larry would go back to Oklahoma City to work. One of the things that Virginia was known for was picking up stray animals and bringing them home. She would say that ìthey found her she didnít find them.î Church Services will be held 10:00 AM Saturday, December 14, 2013 at Westport Baptist Church with Rev. Ray Earley officiating. Burial will follow in the Bethany Cemetery in Perth, Kansas at 3:00 pm under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home.