Virginia Louise was the older of two children of Wilbur Curtis McCullough and Grace Louise Parke. She grew up on Venture Street and Delaware Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh and graduated from Perry High School. The first in her family to attend college, Virginia received a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1949.
Later that year, Virginia married John Glenn Button. They had three children. Then, at a young age, John Button died suddenly.
The years that followed her untimely widowhood show exactly what Virginia was made of. She managed to keep the family's home in Ross Township by holding down two part-time teaching jobs. Simultaneously, to improve her employment prospects, she earned a master's degree at night school at Pitt. Virginia typed her homework papers while the children slept.
She lived out the value of education.
Because day care did not exist, Virginia secured a job as director of a nursery school based at Hiland Presbyterian Church, and took her youngest child to work every day. When that child outgrew nursery school, Virginia found employment as a kindergarten teacher in the North Hills School District, taking the youngest with her to morning kindergarten at one school and afternoon kindergarten at another.
Virginia's parents and close friends watched over the three children when she had to attend a class at Pitt or teach students at Robert Morris or Point Park. She drove the children everywhere in an apple green 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air with a faulty heater and no seat belts. (Like day care, seat belts had not yet gone mainstream.) The family lived on beans 'n' wieners, Wonder Bread, Velveeta, braunschweiger, bargain bologna, and Skippy. Once in a great while they dined at Big Boy or bought a pack of Klondikes.
On boring rainy days (and by a stroke of pure genius), Virginia would say, "Let's make iron sandwiches!" She would preheat the iron to "linen" and place hunks of Velveeta between slices of Wonder Bread. After wrapping each sandwich in foil, she would iron them on both sides until the Velveeta melted. This ploy monopolized the children's attention for the better part of an hour.
Four years after the death of her first husband, Virginia remarried. On her wedding day she weighed a mere 89 pounds. Upon her death in 2011, she was survived by her husband of nearly 47 years and her two younger children. Virginia was preceded in death by her oldest child, Ginni.
All three of Virginia's children followed her example, finishing college and going on to graduate school.
Later that year, Virginia married John Glenn Button. They had three children. Then, at a young age, John Button died suddenly.
The years that followed her untimely widowhood show exactly what Virginia was made of. She managed to keep the family's home in Ross Township by holding down two part-time teaching jobs. Simultaneously, to improve her employment prospects, she earned a master's degree at night school at Pitt. Virginia typed her homework papers while the children slept.
She lived out the value of education.
Because day care did not exist, Virginia secured a job as director of a nursery school based at Hiland Presbyterian Church, and took her youngest child to work every day. When that child outgrew nursery school, Virginia found employment as a kindergarten teacher in the North Hills School District, taking the youngest with her to morning kindergarten at one school and afternoon kindergarten at another.
Virginia's parents and close friends watched over the three children when she had to attend a class at Pitt or teach students at Robert Morris or Point Park. She drove the children everywhere in an apple green 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air with a faulty heater and no seat belts. (Like day care, seat belts had not yet gone mainstream.) The family lived on beans 'n' wieners, Wonder Bread, Velveeta, braunschweiger, bargain bologna, and Skippy. Once in a great while they dined at Big Boy or bought a pack of Klondikes.
On boring rainy days (and by a stroke of pure genius), Virginia would say, "Let's make iron sandwiches!" She would preheat the iron to "linen" and place hunks of Velveeta between slices of Wonder Bread. After wrapping each sandwich in foil, she would iron them on both sides until the Velveeta melted. This ploy monopolized the children's attention for the better part of an hour.
Four years after the death of her first husband, Virginia remarried. On her wedding day she weighed a mere 89 pounds. Upon her death in 2011, she was survived by her husband of nearly 47 years and her two younger children. Virginia was preceded in death by her oldest child, Ginni.
All three of Virginia's children followed her example, finishing college and going on to graduate school.
Virginia Louise was the older of two children of Wilbur Curtis McCullough and Grace Louise Parke. She grew up on Venture Street and Delaware Street on the North Side of Pittsburgh and graduated from Perry High School. The first in her family to attend college, Virginia received a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1949.
Later that year, Virginia married John Glenn Button. They had three children. Then, at a young age, John Button died suddenly.
The years that followed her untimely widowhood show exactly what Virginia was made of. She managed to keep the family's home in Ross Township by holding down two part-time teaching jobs. Simultaneously, to improve her employment prospects, she earned a master's degree at night school at Pitt. Virginia typed her homework papers while the children slept.
She lived out the value of education.
Because day care did not exist, Virginia secured a job as director of a nursery school based at Hiland Presbyterian Church, and took her youngest child to work every day. When that child outgrew nursery school, Virginia found employment as a kindergarten teacher in the North Hills School District, taking the youngest with her to morning kindergarten at one school and afternoon kindergarten at another.
Virginia's parents and close friends watched over the three children when she had to attend a class at Pitt or teach students at Robert Morris or Point Park. She drove the children everywhere in an apple green 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air with a faulty heater and no seat belts. (Like day care, seat belts had not yet gone mainstream.) The family lived on beans 'n' wieners, Wonder Bread, Velveeta, braunschweiger, bargain bologna, and Skippy. Once in a great while they dined at Big Boy or bought a pack of Klondikes.
On boring rainy days (and by a stroke of pure genius), Virginia would say, "Let's make iron sandwiches!" She would preheat the iron to "linen" and place hunks of Velveeta between slices of Wonder Bread. After wrapping each sandwich in foil, she would iron them on both sides until the Velveeta melted. This ploy monopolized the children's attention for the better part of an hour.
Four years after the death of her first husband, Virginia remarried. On her wedding day she weighed a mere 89 pounds. Upon her death in 2011, she was survived by her husband of nearly 47 years and her two younger children. Virginia was preceded in death by her oldest child, Ginni.
All three of Virginia's children followed her example, finishing college and going on to graduate school.
Later that year, Virginia married John Glenn Button. They had three children. Then, at a young age, John Button died suddenly.
The years that followed her untimely widowhood show exactly what Virginia was made of. She managed to keep the family's home in Ross Township by holding down two part-time teaching jobs. Simultaneously, to improve her employment prospects, she earned a master's degree at night school at Pitt. Virginia typed her homework papers while the children slept.
She lived out the value of education.
Because day care did not exist, Virginia secured a job as director of a nursery school based at Hiland Presbyterian Church, and took her youngest child to work every day. When that child outgrew nursery school, Virginia found employment as a kindergarten teacher in the North Hills School District, taking the youngest with her to morning kindergarten at one school and afternoon kindergarten at another.
Virginia's parents and close friends watched over the three children when she had to attend a class at Pitt or teach students at Robert Morris or Point Park. She drove the children everywhere in an apple green 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air with a faulty heater and no seat belts. (Like day care, seat belts had not yet gone mainstream.) The family lived on beans 'n' wieners, Wonder Bread, Velveeta, braunschweiger, bargain bologna, and Skippy. Once in a great while they dined at Big Boy or bought a pack of Klondikes.
On boring rainy days (and by a stroke of pure genius), Virginia would say, "Let's make iron sandwiches!" She would preheat the iron to "linen" and place hunks of Velveeta between slices of Wonder Bread. After wrapping each sandwich in foil, she would iron them on both sides until the Velveeta melted. This ploy monopolized the children's attention for the better part of an hour.
Four years after the death of her first husband, Virginia remarried. On her wedding day she weighed a mere 89 pounds. Upon her death in 2011, she was survived by her husband of nearly 47 years and her two younger children. Virginia was preceded in death by her oldest child, Ginni.
All three of Virginia's children followed her example, finishing college and going on to graduate school.
Family Members
See more Hodgson or McCullough memorials in:
- Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden Hodgson or McCullough
- Fox Chapel Hodgson or McCullough
- Allegheny County Hodgson or McCullough
- Pennsylvania Hodgson or McCullough
- USA Hodgson or McCullough
- Find a Grave Hodgson or McCullough
