Virginia Mae Saltzman

Virginia Mae (Thiel) Saltzman, age 91 years, of Janesville, passed away on Monday, April 3, 2023 at Agrace Hospice in Janesville.

“Ginny” Saltzman touched many lives. Family, friends and helping others were the things that she lived for. She had a strong drive to make the world a better place. Virginia loved to ‘keep busy’ and always be of service.

She was born at home on a farm in the town of Center in Outagamie County, WI. Born on December 7th, 1931 to Dewey Thiel and Alma Purath Thiel, Virginia attended rural schools until she entered Hortonville High School and graduated in 1949. Her life-long wish was to be a teacher and she entered the Rural Education courses at Oshkosh State Teachers College. At the age of 19 she began her first teaching job at Elm Tree School in Outagamie County, where she taught all eight grades for the next five years, teaching 25-30 students each year.

On June 24th, 1956 she married Galen Saltzman of Milford, Nebraska and they moved to Milford where she taught Grades 7-8 for three years. In 1960 when her husband, a veteran of four years in the U.S. Navy, graduated from the University of Nebraska, they moved to Beatrice, NE where he began teaching and Virginia stayed home to care for their children. In the early 1960’s they moved back to Wisconsin.

Virginia entered UW Whitewater to complete her bachelors degree in 1975 and began looking for a teaching job. In the mid 70’s she was offered a job in Janesville teaching refugees of the Vietnam War who had sought refuge locally. This became a fulfilling experience as she began to write the program for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL/ELL), which required more education to become a certified ESL teacher. Over the years she taught students from countries in Asia, Europe, South and Central America. She considered it a privilege to introduce them to democracy and the education that would influence their future.

Virginia retired from the Janesville Public Schools in 1994. She became a tutor of adults at the Janesville Literacy Council, and also a tutor trainer for nearly 20 more years. She volunteered at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, delivered Meals on Wheels, Jefferson Breakfast Club, sang in the choir and directed choir at her church, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. In 2006 she was given the Woman of Distinction award.

Virginia had many interests and passions – her faith, friendships, gardening, reading, baking, traveling, and playing the piano. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Galen Dean Saltzman; her parents, Dewey and Alma Thiel; her brother and sister-in-law, Roy and Jaqueline Thiel; her parents-in-law, Alvin and Emma Saltzman; her brother-in-law and wife, Burdette and Betty Saltzman and a sister-in-law and husband, Lila and Virgil Ahrens.

Virginia is survived by her children, Kaye (Robin) Gilbertson of Barneveld, WI; Kristine (David) Kane of Janesville; Patrice (James) Davis of Sachse, TX and Mark (Cheryl) Saltzman of Madison, WI. Also 14 grandchildren: Dana, Ross and Carly Gilbertson, Ian, Ben and Emma Kane and Josiah, Philip, Seth, Keilah, Nathanael, Martha, Adam, and Samuel Davis, and eight great-grandchildren.

Virginia was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Janesville Area Retired Education Association, Wisconsin Retired Educators Association, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, and Deborah Circle.

A funeral service will be held at Mt Zion United Methodist Church on Saturday April 8th, at 12 Noon with visitation from 10 a.m. Saturday April 8th until the time of the service. Private entombment will be in Milton Lawns Memorial Park at a later date.

The family wishes to extend our gratitude to the entire staff at Agrace in Janesville for their compassionate care of Ginny and all of us, during the past months.

Memorials may be made to the Janesville YWCA – Immigrant Outreach Program – ESL of Rock County; Rotary Botanical Gardens; Janesville Education Foundation -Community Foundation of Southern WI; or Mt Zion United Methodist Church.

HENKE-CLARSON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.henkeclarson.com.