Virginia Westrom

Virginia “Ginger” Marian Westrom (Egenberger)
(Gin, Ginny, Auntie Gin, Baboo)
Sunrise: 8/9/1961 Sunset: 2/3/2025

Our dear Ginger passed peacefully, surrounded by family at the Kavanaugh House in Des Moines after a brave and courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

Born August 9, 1961 in Des Moines, Iowa to John V. and Marian Egenberger, she attended Lincoln High School and was a member of the gymnastics team, graduating in 1979. She then attended Stevens Business College in Nebraska, receiving a vocational diploma in Public Relations with a Law emphasis in 1981. That same year, Ginger gave birth to her baby girl, Johnna Valentine Bonta.

Ginger would meet future hubby Tom on her father John’s birthday, and they were joined in marriage in October 1996. When the Army reassigned them in 1997, they moved from Iowa to Fort Knox, Kentucky, then to Greenville, South Carolina and then Wisconsin, settling after retirement in Mitchellville, Iowa in 2004.

Over the years, Ginger was employed with various companies, lending her knowledge, skills and expertise. She worked with Law office of Tim J Rahm, Dillion Precision, UPS, Norwest, Army Air Force Exchange Service, Davis-Brown Law firm, Urban Belly, and Connett Services before entering retirement.

Also, an entrepreneur, Ginger established her own business, Nannys Originals, and after, she and Johnna opened Urban Belly in Des Moines, specializing in maternity wear. Ginger was very artistic, crafting many different clothing projects – to include, all manner of garments, wedding dresses, and for many years dance costumes for Johnna’s dance school, BU Dance Co., and over time created many quilts. From 2022 through 2024, Ginger donated several of her custom handmade quilts to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital (near and dear to her heart) and many blankets to the John Stoddard Cancer Center where she received her treatments.

Ginger was a beloved and trusted mother, daughter, daddy’s girl, wife, nanny, sister, friend, and Auntie. She was a Girl Scout Leader, volunteered with the Army Family Support Group, and loved to share with and help anyone who was in need, donated time and gifts to numerous charities and organizations and meant so much to so many.

One bestie said, “God surely called her to make angel wings.”. Another said, “She loved with all of her heart.”. She dearly loved her grand babies (unbridled joy), her family, her friends, quilting, reading, sewing, gardening, dancing (she and Tom did actually dance in the rain once), Hallmark movies, all things Christmas, dinners and poker nights with friends, Chick-fil-a, canning, watching gymnastics and figure skating, feeding and watching her backyard birds and critters, her Grannies no-peek stew (we all did), attending Wednesday night “Stitch and B****” with the ladies, her “Nanny23” personalized plates on her Jeep, shopping, elbow macaroni noodles and tomatoes, Jersey Freeze ice cream and drives around the lake, cruising around town in the UTV “buggy”, sunsets, a good steak, bonfires, and last but certainly not least, her besties.

Ginger was proceeded in death by her grandparents, father John V. Egenberger, brother-in-law Robert Larson, her beloved German Shepherds George, Princess, Sadie and Thunder.

She is survived by her husband Tom; beloved German Shepherd Lily; mother Marian (Vern) Dalheen; sister Jackie Larson; brothers Kent (Lynn) Egenberger and Edward (Lori) Egenberger; children Johnna (Justin) Bonta and Tommy (Stephanie) Westrom; granddaughter Chloe Bonta; grandsons Blake Bonta and Jackson Westrom; besties Brenda, Robin, Chris, Sandy, Cheryl and Marlana; many nieces and nephews; cousins; and close/dear friends that will forever hold loving memories of her.

We wish to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the folks Ginger met on her journey at John Stoddard, and also to all who knew and lovingly cared for Ginger in her final days at the Kavanaugh House on 56th in Des Moines. The service/care she received while there was second to none. Much love and gratitude.

She proclaimed her unwavering faith in our Lord and Savior, and it was evident to those that knew her through her love, strength and courage.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday February 22, 2025 at St. John’s Lutheran Church; 600 6th Ave, Des Moines, Iowa 50309. A celebration of life will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Iowa – Stead Family Children’s Hospital in honor and memory of our beloved Ginger.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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