Virginia was born on October 3, 1921, in Newburg, Iowa, to Ray and Charlotte 'Lottie' Reynolds Smith. She was raised in the Newburg area and graduated from Newburg High School. She also attended AIB in Des Moines and she later worked for the Meredith Corporation. On November 29, 1941, she was married to Laurence Stanley in Kirksville, Missouri. After their marriage the couple farmed in the Newburg, Kellogg and Gilman areas prior to their retirement. Following the death of her husband she was married to Robert Harrod of Blair, Oklahoma. They divided their time between Iowa, Oklahoma and San Benito, Texas. She moved to Grinnell in 1998. Virginia enjoyed volunteering for the Newburg Congregational Church Ladies Aid and she enjoyed quilting, dancing, raising flowers and her pet poodles. When she lived on the farm she was a 4-H Leader. Survivors include one daughter, Charlotte (Bryce) Vander Werff of Kellogg; two sons, Lyle 'Butch' (Karen) Stanley of Houston, Texas and Dennis (Sherri) Stanley of Seattle, Washington; seven grandchildren; six great grandchildren; one sister, Betty Cooper of Grinnell; and her sister-in-law, Carol (Byron) Brain of Newton. She was preceded in death by her parents; both of her husbands; and one brother, Luverne Smith. Memorials may be directed to the Kellogg Historical Society or to the Newburg Congregational Church.