Virginia M. Lozar

Our Gran, Virginia M. Lozar, age 94, died Thursday, January 9, 2020, at Western Prairie Assisted Living in Ulysses, Kansas. Born September 19, 1925, in Larned, Kansas, she was the daughter of Charles Arthur and Bertha Lillian (Brown) Tallman.

She graduated from Grant County Rural High School with the class of 1943. Virginia married Oscar Eugene “Gene” Lozar on May 5, 1943, in Taylor, Texas, and together raised a family of five daughters. She was a wonderful homemaker and was an accomplished seamstress, cook, quilter and gardener. Never one to rest on her accomplishments, at age 60 she decided to learn to play the piano and tap dance.

As a young mother, she worked at Gray & Rosel, and later held positions at several local businesses, including the Chamber of Commerce, Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital and the Ulysses News before finally retiring from Panhandle Eastern at the age of 65.

Virginia was very active in her community, and she was a long time member of Junior Civic and Study Club, forming many good friends while working on various community projects. She and Gene were also volunteers for the Salvation Army and traveled around southwest Kansas in their volunteer capacity meeting with local Salvation Army chapters. The American Diabetic Association became a passion of Virginia’s when two of her daughters were diagnosed with Type I diabetes. She worked hard to raise money through her quilting and baking and became a Diamond donor for the organization.

Virginia was an avid baseball fan and enjoyed watching the KC Royals. She instilled that passion in her grandsons, taking each of them to a Royals baseball game.

Virginia is survived by her children, Judy Keusler and husband Ken of Ulysses, Cindy Wise and husband, Gary of Garden City, Teri Reist and husband, Steve of Spicewood, Texas, and Kristy Frazee and husband, Stephen of Ulysses; a loving niece, Linda Giovinco of Linfield, Pennsylvania; nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene; daughter, Ginger; one brother, and two sisters.

Memorial service will be held on Monday, January 20, 2020, at 2:00 PM at Shelton Memorial Christian Church in Ulysses, Kansas. Following the service, the family will receive friends at Bear Creek Coffee. Private inurnment will be at the Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be given to Ginger’s Hope, a fund in the Grant County Community Foundation. This fund was created to benefit diabetics in the community and honors her diabetic daughters, Ginger and Kristy. Donations may be made through Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave., Ulysses, Kansas 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.