Virginia Smiley

Platte City, Missouri and former longtime Goodland, KS resident Virginia Louise Smiley, 100, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2020 in Platte City, MO.

Virginia was born on September 24, 1919 in Atchison, KS to Edward John and Ruth Lillian (Bailey) Suydam.  She grew up and attended school in Leavenworth, KS and graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1937.  In November of 1940, Virginia married William Arthur Smiley, Jr. M.D. in St. Joseph, MO.  To this union, four children were born; Beth, Bill, Susan and Lynn.  The family lived in Junction City, Ks and Norton, KS where Dr. Smiley was in medical practice before moving to Goodland, KS in 1960.

From 1937 until 1960, Virginia was actively involved with the Girl Scouts.  While living in Goodland, Virginia was a member of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and worked as a secretary for Edwards Aviation.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her stepfather MJR. A.S. Farrar, and her husband.

She is survived by her four children; Beth (Rick) Philbrick of Platte City, MO, Bill (Chris) Smiley of LaCrosse, WI, Susan Gilley of Louisburg, KS and  Lynn Smiley (Peter Gilligan) of Chapel Hill, NC.  She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

At this time there will be no services for Virginia.  Her ashes will be inurned at a later date in the Junction City Cemetery in Junction City, KS next to her husband.

Friends may go to www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com to leave an online message of condolence for the family and to sign the online register book.

Donations can be made to the Kansas University Virginia and William Smiley scholarship in Biological Sciences, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.  The link to donate is https://biology.ku.edu/giving.