Virginia M. Burns, 103

Virginia Margaret Burns passed away peacefully on the morning of Monday, July 28, 2014, surrounded by her family.

Born in Omaha, Neb., on April 20, 1911, she was the only child of Foster and Sadie Kast. Always adventurous, she was the first woman in her county to fly when she took a ride with a barnstorming pilot in a Jenny Biplane.

Virginia lived in Bellevue, Neb., until 1935 when she married William "Chic" Burns who was in the Army serving with the 17th Infantry Regiment at Ft. Crook (now Offutt AFB). For the next 20 years she lived the life of an Army wife. She and their son Bill were among the first group of Army families to join their husbands in occupied Germany immediately following the war in 1946. Virginia traveled extensively throughout Europe during their three year assignment overseas.

A neighbor once told Virginia that "Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen." And so they headed to Idaho, realized it was indeed a gem, and settled there after Chic's retirement in 1955. After Chic's death in 1962, Virginia moved to Dalton Gardens and worked for the U.S. Forest Service until her retirement in 1976. In 2004 Virginia moved to Harvest, Ala., to live with her son and daughter-in-law.

Virginia's first and enduring passion was horses. She got her first horse and saddle at age nine. She was 76 when she competed in her last barrel race competition. Virginia continued to ride in various equestrian activities until she was well into her 90s. She was a charter member of the renowned Satellites Women's Mounted Horse Drill Team that performed for 25 years in rodeos and parades throughout the Northwest.

Virginia is survived by her son William, daughter-in-law Russelyn, and granddaughter Tracy.

Virginia's family and friends with gather for a celebration of her life later this month.

In accordance with Virginia's wishes, the family requests no flowers.