Aug. 27, 1935 – Jan. 3, 2021
Virginia Clark Esmeier, 85, graced Heaven’s door Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021 after fighting a courageous battle for many years with multiple health issues. She was born August 27, 1935 in Cedar City, Utah to Collins Douglas and Lillian Smith Clark. She was number five of seven children.
She grew up in Cedar City, Utah. She was the first girl president of Cedar City Junior High School. She graduated with honors from Cedar City High School. She paid her way through college by writing a column for the Iron County Record and working for Dr. Chatterly. She graduated from the College of Southern Utah (now SUU) in May of 1967, with her bachelor of science, a minor in history and her secondary education certificate. After graduating from college, she began teaching school at Woodward Jr. High in St George.
On May 29, 1969 she married the love of her life, Fred Esmeier, who helped her raise her 4 kids from a previous marriage: Ginger, Clark, Rex, & Paul. To their union were born two daughters, Sharon & Julie.
Virginia taught school for many years, during which time she received her Master’s from UNLV. She taught at Jim Bridger Jr. High and CW Woodbury Jr. High in Las Vegas, Nevada and Dixie and Pine View High Schools in St George, Utah. She taught journalism, creative Writing and honors English classes. She was a favorite teacher of many students, whose lives she touched deeply. She continued to remain in contact with many of those students. Virginia loved everyone and made all feel valued. She had a gift for writing and has published many poems, stories and articles.
She was a gifted storyteller and her kids and grandkids looked forward to listening to anything she would tell them. She loved gardening, baking, reading, writing, attending plays and spending time on the mountain at the Clark Ranch riding horses, searching for treasure, hiking to the black hill, and relaxing. She especially enjoyed stream fishing at the old Lambeth Ranch.
She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and held many teaching positions. She loved the Lord and wrote, “What I would like to do is make it to the Celestial Kingdom, so I keep trying to repent and study the Gospel, which I know is true.”
She was well known for her quick wit, sense of humor, hard work ethic, love of history and her open-hearted acceptance of anyone and everyone.
She is survived by her husband Fred, Washington, UT; children: Ginger (Murry) Whipple, Hiko, NV, Clark (RuthAnn) Webster, Las Vegas, NV, Paul (Denise) Webster, Santa Clara, UT, Sharon (Kurt) Hutchings, Diamond Valley, UT, Julie (David) Shirts, Santa Clara, UT; 26 grandkids, 43 great-grandkids, and three great-great-Grandkids.
She was preceded in death by her parents Doug an Lillie Clark; son, Rex; siblings: Ken, Roselyn, Doug, Dick and Mary; great granddaughters: Brinna Van Vliet and Havyn Groskreutz.
Funeral services will be held for close family on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary 110 S. Bluff St. George, Utah 435-673-2454. Friends and family may attend her viewing on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 from 5 -7 p.m. and Saturday January 9, 2021 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary. Interment will be at the Cedar City Cemetery 685 N. Main at approximately 1 p.m.
For those who would like to view the funeral online, log in to webcast.funeralrecording.com. Type in the event number 44547 and password VCE2021.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff St, St. George, Utah. Friends and family are invited to sign her online guestbook at www.spilsburymortuary.com