Virginia Bratt Bowden

Virginia Bratt, 71 years old, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2009, at her home in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by family members. Virginia is survived by her children: Alan Bean and his wife Spring, Nicole DeGraw and her husband Grant, and Jennifer Jolley and her husband Lance. She is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Virginia was born on October 11, 1948, in St Anthony, Idaho, to Stanley Dean Bratt and Gwendolyn Swenson Bratt. Virginia had a wonderful childhood. She lived on a farm in Sugar City, riding horses as a member of a mounted posse group. She learned to work hard on the family farm and participated in many hunting, fishing, and camping adventures. She developed a love of nature and the countryside. Throughout her life, Virginia thought of herself as a farm girl.

Virginia loved to be busy and developed many lifelong skills. Some of these she used for hobbies; others she used for employment. She was a skilled seamstress, quilter, and crafter and created beautiful crocheted items. Virginia attended Salt Lake Community College and graduated in Secretarial Studies. She had a keen mind, a love of learning, and a love of music. She was constantly thirsting for knowledge both secularly and spirituality. One of the ways she applied her keen mind was by becoming involved in genealogical efforts with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved discovering information about her ancestors. She spent countless hours of her adult life working on genealogy.

Virginia treasured her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has a powerful testimony and took great joy from sharing it with her family and friends. During her life, she had the opportunity of living on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hilo for seven years. During her time here, she developed many lifelong friendships and developed a deep love of the Hawaiian people and culture. She came to intimately understand the meaning of “Aloha” and felt that her spirit was truly Hawaiian. She greatly enjoyed working in the LDS temple in Oahu and organizing trips there for members of her ward.

Virginia had a great capacity for love. She treasured her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We all return her love and will miss her deeply.

Funeral services for Virginia will be held in Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at the LDS chapel located at 4921 N. Mitchell St. The following day, Wednesday, December 18, 2019, graveside services will be held at the Teton Cemetery in Sugar City, Idaho. The family wishes to extend a heart felt thank you for the compassionate and supportive team of St Luke’s hospice providers and to the Mitchell Ward members who assisted in the funeral service and family dinner. We also gratefully acknowledge the loving, selfless service of family members in caring for her over her life, especially over her final months of life.