Agnes Virginia Koos

Agnes Virginia Christian Koos, age 100, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 6, 2018, in Lebanon, Oregon.    Born in the country near Vera, Virginia on May 7, 1918, she was the oldest child of Dr. David Alexander Christian, Jr, and Bessie Drinkard Stratton.   Virginia had four brothers and four sisters.  At the age of six, she moved to the nearby town of Appomattox.  

Virginia graduated from Appomattox High School in 1934 at the age of 16 as class valedictorian.  She graduated from Randolph-Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, VA and was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.   She then taught school at Bandy Station, VA near Culpeper and later taught at Appomattox and Charlottesville, VA.  During WWII, she taught two shifts of school and served as a Red Cross and USO volunteer. 

At a USO dance in Charlottesville, VA, she met George Leo Koos, Jr of Tangent, Oregon.   They had a short wartime courtship and were married on August 28, 1943.  After a brief honeymoon, she did not see him again for over two years.  Following WWII, Virginia and George Leo settled on the Koos family farm in Tangent, Oregon.  They were married for almost 67 years before George Leo passed away in 2010.  Virginia lived on the farm for over 72 years.  

Virginia first focus was always her family.  She enjoyed the needle arts of quilting, crocheting, and embroidering.  She was active in the Lebanon First Methodist Church; Peace Circle, United Methodist Women; Linn Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution; Twentieth Century Book Club and Delta Kappa Gamma.  She was a 4-H leader for many years.  Virginia wrote eight books of life stories and was an avid solver of word puzzles.  

Virginia was a substitute teacher in Linn County.  In 1963, she returned to teaching full time and taught at Calapooia Jr. High School and was a counselor at Albany Union High School, Jefferson and Scio Elementary and Junior High.  During this time she worked full time, raised a family and obtained two master’s degrees (education and counseling) from Oregon State University.  After her retirement, Virginia taught duplicate bridge and was a Bridge Director.   Survivors include daughters, Kristin (Gary) Biskeborn of Chamberlain, SD, and Kathryn Koos-Lee of Albany; sons, George Kimberly (Cory) Koos, and Kerwin (Robin) Koos, both of Albany; sister, Joice Cox of South Swansea, Massachusetts; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, a son, Karl David Koos, three sisters and four brothers, and a son-in-law, Kenneth Lee.

A Memorial Service will be held at First United Methodist Church of Lebanon, 1890 2nd Street, Lebanon, Oregon on Friday, October 12th at 11 am.  Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Lebanon or a charity of choice.  

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling the arrangements (www.aasum-dufour.com)

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