Virginia Fast

Virginia May Fast

1934 - 2023

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Virginia

Obituary of Virginia May Fast

After a journey with cancer, Virginia May (Toews) Fast passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 23, 2023 surrounded by her family. We are so very thankful for the care and support of the homecare and palliative care teams.

Born in Steinbach, Manitoba to Frank P and Katherine (Giesbrecht) Toews on April 24, 1934, Virginia was a person who was fiercely dedicated to family, first her parents and siblings, then to her husband and children and later to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She took her responsibility to help care for her younger siblings seriously and quit school to care for them and later worked in Winnipeg at Riverview Hospital (then the King George) sending her wages home with the thought that her younger siblings needed new coats and some of the extras that were hard to provide for.

Al and Ginny had been neighbours as children, but did not know each other well. They reconnected later because he was a friend of her older brother, Ken. On September 25, 1954, Virginia married Albert Fast. They went on to be married for 41 years and had four children, seven grandchildren, and six great grandchildren together.

Over the years Virginia lived in various small towns and cities, from Steinbach to Waldersee to Winnipeg and more. She sought out meaningful friendships in each community and made a large, far-reaching impact wherever she settled. She worked as a cook to construction crews and in restaurants, in sales like Avon, and wallpaper. She volunteered for various organizations like MCC thrift stores, Ten Thousand Villages, and for the Scotties curling tournament. She was an active member of her church serving in the soup kitchen, as a deaconess, and in Women in Mission. Her hard-working spirit and ability to turn a heavy moment light while speaking the truths that were hard to hear made her a ‘wise woman’ to many.

She was the camp cook who, with a child on a hip, could have fresh bread ready 30 minutes after the caravan arrived at the next job site. The reluctant farmer’s wife, who took so much pride in her husband’s adventurous spirit and insisted on doing every, often gruesome, farm job at least once. The home decorator who, just last week, coached us to arrange the flowers and candles at the foot of her bed until they were “just right.” The indispensable, cherished, loving and much-loved sister, aunt, cousin, mom, grand and great-grandma Ginny, who hoped she’d done a good job (Oh, she did!) and, reflecting on the family, recently concluded, “I don’t think there’s that much wrong with us.” The sometimes quiet, always quip-ready, possibly too-sarcastic friend and confidant who made it her mission to be a blessing for someone every day. The shy woman who pushed herself to reach out and who kept us glued together. The woman who played her children’s ABBA albums and danced when no one else was home. We miss you and will do our best to laugh, especially when things are hard, and live, like you taught us.

 

Virginia was predeceased by her husband Albert Fast, sisters Irma and Alice, brother Ken, and a number of sisters and brothers-in-law. She is survived by her children Debra, Beverley (Glen), Robin (Catherine) and Heather, grandchildren Laura, Mark (Joelle), Rebekah (Eric), Elizabeth, Kaitlin (Chris), Talon, and Emma (Simon); great grandchildren Benjamin, Elena, Thaddeus, Isla, Wesley, and Maila, as well as siblings and siblings-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Soup's On, 430 Third St, Steinbach, MB R5G 0K5

The memorial service will be held on Monday, March 27, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Mennonite Church, 430 Third St, Steinbach, MB.  The interment for immediate & extended family will take place Monday, March 27, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Clearsprings Cemetery.

Monday
27
March

Memorial Service

2:00 pm
Monday, March 27, 2023
Grace Mennonite Church
430 Third Street
STEINBACH, Manitoba, Canada