Virgil Ira Glen Churchman

Virgil Ira Glen Churchman

L: Rev. Larry Allen, Marilyn Mae McKellar with Andrew Park Center: Mrs. Virgil (Velma) Churchman -- 10/13/1985 R: Heather Renee, Kathleen Kay and Felicia Ann Lewis

• Sex: M
• Born: October 18, 1905 in Greenwood County, Eureka, Kansas
• Died: December 4, 1954 at home in Eureka, Kansas
• Buried: At Greenwood Cemetery
• Notes: Virgil was born 10/18/1905. He graduated from Eureka High School in May of 1923. He roomed in Eureka and was janitor of the Congregational Church to finance his education. Virgil served in the U.S. Army as a Cpl. T/5 in the 17th Field Artillery from September 1942 to September 1945. He was honorably discharged as the result of an injury from heavy lifting. He married Velma Chesterman on June 9, 1946. They have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren. Virgil taught at Scott School near Teterville one year, was elected County Superintendent of Schools for four years, and then taught at Climax School for three years. He was teaching at Rosalia in the fall of 1954 when he had a fatal heart attack on December 4, 1954.
  
  During the World War II, Velma was working at Aero Parts in Wichita with Leonard Underwood. Leonard had recently married Carrie Faye Churchman, sister of Virgil Churchman. Leonard knew Velma was not married, and he knew that Virgil, his wife's brother, was not married. Leonard asked Velma if she would write to Virgil. Virgil was over seas at the time. Velma said that she would if he wrote first. This is the way Virgil and Velma started communicating. They wrote letters for 2 years before they ever met. (Velma has kept the letters all these years.) Virgil came home on leave. He had surgery for a hernia, and while he was in the hospital, Velma sent him a dozen red roses. (Velma said that she was sure that if her mother knew of this, her mother would think that she was too forward.) After Virgil got out of the hospital, he and Velma finally met in person.

Father: William James Churchman, b. August 11, 1868 near New Market in Jefferson County, TN

Mother: Josephine Elvina Freeman, b. November 1, 1875 in Anchor, Illinois -- d. August 28, 1961 at the Lyndon Care Home, Eureka, Kansas -- buried with her husband William in the northeast corner of Greenwood County Cemetery, Eureka, Kansas -- daughter of Robert Freeman and Agnes Gordon Ingram

Family 1: Velma Ruth Chesterman, b. November 27, 1916 in Pawnee County, Kansas

• Married: June 9, 1946 at the South Broadway Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas

1. Kathleen Kay Churchman, b. June 28, 1948
2. Kenneth Duane Churchman, b. February 25, 1953 -- d. February 25, 1953 (stillborn)
3. Marilyn Mae Churchman, b. October 13, 1954

Sources:

1. Research by Ron Churchman
2. Research by Velma Ruth Churchman
3. Picture by Dale Churchman
4. Picture by Frank Freeman