The Life of VIRGINIA MAE BARKSDALE

Virginia May Barksdale of Ankeny, passed away on Monday, May 9, 2022, at the age of 94. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday May 17, 2022, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Ave. in Des Moines with burial to follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Monday evening, May 16, from 6:00–8:00 p.m.

Virginia was the youngest of four children born to Charles and Annie (Kennedy) Powell. Virginia was preceded in death by both parents and all siblings
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Virginia graduated January 1946 from Springfield Ohio High School. The fall of 1946, she entered the school of nursing and graduated as a Register nurse in 1949.

Virginia married Joseph Allen Barksdale June 3, 1948. Joe was born October 28, 1927. They had two children, their son, Bruce, married Jacqueline Feldman, they had one son Daniel Barksdale. Bruce passed away in 2004. Their daughter, Kathy married Christopher Cornwell.

After they were married, they lived in Alabama and Ohio in their first years, where Virginia was a Surgical Nurse. In 1958 they moved to Des Moines, Iowa where Joe became General Manager at Alsco Manufacturing Co.

Virginia stayed home to raise the children, but when they were old enough to be in school all day, she went back to what she loved, nursing. She worked at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines for four years. She then became a school nurse. She felt she could do more for the children there. She worked passionately for 16 years at Moulton and Oak Park Elementary. Going into the homes and working with other agencies to get each child she worked with the best care possible.

Virginia loved to travel and through Joseph’s job they were able to travel all over the world. Because of nursing she was able to take trips to China, Russia, and Switzerland with other nurses, visiting hospitals and care facilities.

When Virginia and Joseph retired from their jobs, they began new careers. They started a food business at the Iowa State Fairgrounds where they were very successful selling cookies. In 2019 they gave the business to the people of Iowa and were able to retire.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the Animal Rescue League.