Russ Plummer's Obit final

Viona E. Ginnow, a petite woman full of energy, whose 30 years dedicated to teaching evolved from stocking a wood stove to turning a thermostat, died in her sleep Tuesday night of natural causes at her home on Crown Drive. She was 80.

Ginnow was born and raised in rural Oshkosh, where she was educated at Oshkosh High School and Oshkosh State Teachers College. Her fill of numerous jobs that included clerk, farmer, factory worker, customer service employee and home worker motivated her to find more in life. She eventually earned her bachelor and masters degrees at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Her teaching career began on Sept. 2, 1946, in a one room rural schoolhouse. The 20-year-old Ginnow was responsible for teaching grades one through eight. In comparison to her later years in the classroom, she had a much more down and dirty approach to her job. She had no telephone, electric lights to illuminate the students’ readings and she had to physically pump the water and start a fire while teaching a room full of students.

The three decades of teaching left her with many memories of accomplishment inside and outside of rooms filled with colorful cardboard and bright children. However, the most memorable moment for her consisted of helping change a student’s life.

In a 2006 interview, she reminisced about a troublesome boy in the fifth grade. Eventually she had to call the mother to report his disobedient classroom behavior and outdoor fighting. The mother called her back and said the boy received a violent strapping from his father. The news of the spanking disturbed Ginnow, and she felt saddened.

Years later while she sat at her desk after her day, she heard a Harley-Davidson pull up in the parking lot. The little boy was a man who opened his heart to her. He revealed how he turned to drugs and played drums in a rowdy rock band. However, a different family took him in and he turned his life around. He stopped by to tell his former teacher that he was doing better. She recalled that as one of her finer moments and stayed in contact with the man later in her life.

Her husband, Russell Ginnow, died April 20, 1982, four days before her birthday. Her life suddenly changed and she became lost in agony. She lived with her son Lawrence for two years until 1984, when she attended a rummage sale where she was informed the house was also for sale. After selling land left to her from her husband and her house to her son, she purchased the new home on Crown Drive. She lived alone, kept her husband’s name and never remarried for 22 years.

Ginnow found comfort at her Presbyterian church where she once acted as a deacon and elder. She would often sit amongst former students and felt accepted into their families. She could be found planted in a pew every Sunday and helping out with many of their events.

A homebody at heart, she found immense pleasure traveling the world. Over her latter years in life, she visited every state besides Alaska, Utah and Oregon. She traveled beyond the border during her visits to Austria, The Netherlands, Spain, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England and Canada. However, the trip most personal to her was when she spent one month tracing her roots in Germany.

Over the years she joined various groups, including Winnebago County Retired Educators, Home and Community Education, Omro Study Club and the Red Hat Society.

Even towards the end of her life she returned to her love of education once again. She tutored three different children starting three years after retirement. Even though she never asked for any pay, she received gifts from appreciative parents. Witnessing the progression in learning and her love of kids motivated her during the sessions she held.

She is survived by one son, Lawrence Ginnow of Omro, Wis., one daughter, Ruth Plummer of Howards Grove, Wis. and three grandchildren.

She will be buried from St. Mary’s Church. The family will receive visitors at the Smiling Six Feet Under Funeral Home on Roosevelt Avenue.