Virginia Cooke Stavenhagen

Virginia Cooke Stavenhagen, 95, of Pampa, passed away, Saturday, December 26, 2020 in Wheeler.

A private memorial service will be announced at a later date. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

Virginia Cooke Stavenhagen was born in Santa Fe, Oklahoma on April 12, 1925 to Frances and Delbert Blackerby. She attended schools in Bowers City and Kellerville. She graduated from McLean High School in 1942 and then attended Amarillo Business College. She was the secretary to the Superintendent of Borger Schools from 1942 until 1944. She was a secretary for Phillips Petroleum for several years, employed at the Borger Refinery and later moved to the Phillips offices in Amarillo.

She was married to Joe Cooke and they had three children, Beverly, Cathy, and Kelly, who all graduated from Phillips High School.

She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, the Jane Phillips Sorority and Pampa Country Club. Virginia was a member of Tri State Seniors Golf Association Board for many years and was awarded the Colonel Bogey award in 2014.

In 1974 she married James Stavenhagen in Plano. They lived in Shamrock for 34 years and later they moved to Pampa in 2001. When she and James married, she became Mother to his children, Steve, Terry, and Betsy. They shared 40 good years before he preceded her in death on February 15, 2017.

Virginia later moved to Wheeler in June, 2019 to be closer to her daughter, Cathy.

Virginia loved her large family and liked being a homemaker. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pampa and she enjoyed her church and the many friends she met there. Virginia made friends easily and kept in touch with those whom she had known for many years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and a brother and sister-in-law, Russell and Yvonne Blackerby; and a sister, June Blumhof.

Virginia was an avid bridge player and enjoyed her many bridge buddies.

Virginia enjoyed that family so much- especially getting together for family reunions. The Stavenhagen family loved to travel and especially enjoyed trips with family and friends. Those trips included Europe, cruising Hawaii, and the Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Alaska, the Eastern Seaboard and Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, as well many trips within the United States.

Her survivors include her three daughters, Beverly Johnson and husband Lynn of Mansfield, Cathy Burrell of Wheeler, and Betsy Goen and husband Mark of Amarillo; by two sons, Kelly Cooke and wife Charlotte of Midland and Steve Trapp and wife Sherry of Plano; by 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and by 1 great-great-grandchild; and other extended family.

The family would like to extend gratitude to Parkview Assisted Living, the community of Wheeler, and special friend, Dianna Johnson for their loving care of Virginia.

Memorials can be made to the charity of choice.