Virian Geneva ZIRKLE

Published in Orange County Register on March 20, 2012: Sturdevant, Virian passed away March 14, 2012 at the age of 103. She was born April 30, 1908 in South Haven, Kansas to Daisy and Wallace Zirkle. During a lifetime of nearly 104 years she experienced the Golden Age of America. Virian admired and relished every new technology, from the automobile to the IPad. She grew up in the small farming town of Cheney, Kansas. Her family moved to Orange, CA and Virian graduated from Orange High School in 1925. She then attended the University of Oklahoma and after graduation, she taught PE to both girls and boys for 5 years, in Oklahoma City. During that time she met Carl Sturdevant, a young engineer working for Phillips Petroleum. They married and spent the next 9 years living in several oil fields in Oklahoma and Texas, where Carl was Production Superintendent. Living next to oil wells and through the dust bowl days made them wish for a move back to Southern CA. They bought an orange grove in Orange and moved there in 1943 with their 2 children, Don and Sara. Virian eventually spent 10 more years teaching PE at Yorba Jr. High. Virian and Carl were married 47 wonderful years before he passed away in 1980. She continued living in Orange until just 6 years ago, when she moved to Virginia Beach, VA to be near her daughter. Virian is survived by her son, Don and his wife Gale of Saratoga, CA, and her daughter Sara Melsheimer and her husband, Mel, of Virginia Beach. She is also survived by 5 devoted grandchildren: Heidi Melsheimer and her husband Georg Knoth of Pullach, Germany; Erich Melsheimer and his wife Lisa, of Cumming, GA; Douglas Melsheimer and his wife Laura, of Weston, MA; Niki Stewart and her husband Chris of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and Kristy Miller and her husband Dan, of Phoenix, AZ. She has been very proud of her 10 great-grand-children. Virian is also survived by very caring nieces, nephews and grandnephews, most of whom shared her celebration in VA when she turned 100. Virian will be remembered for her enthusiasm, lively and loving spirit and deep caring for her family and many friends. A Memorial service will be held at Fairhaven at a later date and Interment will be next to her husband, Carl, in her beloved Orange, CA.

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