Virginia Leslein

Virginia Leslein, 96, joined her great creator on August 17, 2018, surrounded by loved ones. Friends and family are invited to a mass and a celebration of her life following, at 10 a.m., August 23, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 417 N. Main Street, in Davenport.

Virginia Gibbs was born November 25, 1921, in Earlville, Iowa, daughter of William and Anna (Klinkner) Gibbs. She married Eldon Leslein on August 4, 1943. Virginia is survived by nine of her 12 children, John Leslein, William (Mary Lee) Leslein, Charles (Susanne) Leslein, Michelle (Allen) Plummer, Ann Louhela, Maxine (Richard) Hirsch, Mary Pillard, Karl (Sarah) Leslein and Jacqueline (Lawrence) Negaard. She was preceded in death by her husband Eldon, and children Judith (Thomas) Groft, Thomas (Nola) Leslein and Philip (Nola) Leslein, and grandson William Leslein II. Her family also included 29 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and 5 great- great-grandchildren.

Virginia was a talented woman who cherished her family and instilled in them her values of honesty, integrity and hard work. She was one of 10 children, growing up on a farm during the Great Depression. She played basketball in high school and studied nursing before moving to Arizona and marrying the love of her life Eldon who was in the Army. They lived the military life for a couple years before settling back in Iowa to raise their family.

In the midst of raising 12 children, Virginia also found time for contests, cooking and sewing. She and her children entered contests for years, winning everything from candy bars to cars. She was a fabulous cook and baker. Her chicken and dumplings and red velvet cake are legendary, and her family cherishes and carries on the traditions learned from their mother.

Sewing was Virginia’s greatest talent. She was a master seamstress and had a home sewing business for much of her life. From hemming jeans to altering business suits, her house was a revolving door of customers who adored her. She finally retired in her 80s.

Her sewing legacy was her sock monkeys. She made hundreds of them over the course of six decades and became a designer extraordinaire of sock monkey costumes. Clowns, brides and grooms, and firefighters were just a few of her designs that have traveled the world. Her cherished tradition of making sock monkeys for new babies in the family is being carried on by the next generation.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the McAnthony Window at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.