Virginia McClune

Virginia was born on May 20, 1925 in Hanford, Calif. She was the only child of her parents, Everett and Maude Hamilton. Most of her “growing up” years were spent in the San Joaquin Valley. Although her father worked several different jobs, most of her grade school and high school years were spent working along side him on dairy farms – either one that her father managed, or one that they owned. She spent most of her time out doors, riding horses, bringing in the cows, milking, feeding, cleaning, assisting with getting the hay ready to bail, etc. While living in Corcoran, she met Dale McClune at a friend’s rooming house where he was staying, while working on a local grain ranch as a big rig truck driver. Virginia was already a Christian when she met Dale and when he first asked her out, she said, “Only if you will come to Sunday School with me first”, so he went with her to the Corcoran Church of the Nazarene. It was at that church that Dale accepted the Lord as his Savior and was given the desire to serve Him. He became her best friend and soon-to-be husband of 49 years.

Virginia and Dale were married in the Corcoran Church on September 15, 1946 and had their first home in the mountains above Aptos, CA. Virginia’s parents purchased a home in the Aptos redwoods and it was there that Virginia designed a home for Dale and herself. Dale and her father felled the trees, prepared them for milling and, on the same property as her parents, Dale & Everett built the home Virginia had designed. She and Dale loved their first home and loved living in the redwoods. It wasn’t long, however, before Virginia’s grandfather needed some assistance with his sign business in Watsonville. Dale and Virginia and her parents sold their Aptos homes and, in November of 1948, moved to Old Adobe Rd., where both Dale and her father worked in the sign business. (When reminiscing about the past, she often commented that when she went into the hospital to deliver Randy they lived in one house and when she and Randy came home from the hospital, they lived in another). Randy and Kathie were both raised in the Old Adobe Rd home and, beginning in 1961, Dale and Virginia began to open their home and hearts to many others, who, through the years, also came to call it their home as well. Virginia lived in her home until her health care needs changed and then she moved to Kathie’s home in Azusa. She came back to her home in Watsonville as often as her health would allow. Virginia dearly missed being with her family and friends “at home”. Her son, Randy and daughter-in-law, Denise, still live at the Old Adobe Rd. property and her granddaughter, Michelle; husband, Shawn; and children, Ashley and Sarah live in Salinas. Virginia had a great love for people and a calling from the Lord to teach children about God’s love for them. She began ministering to children in the late1950’s and was involved in children or youth ministries for almost 40 years. She deeply treasured and loved her family, extended family and friends, and wanted each person to know that they were special and that they were loved – not only by her, but by the Lord Jesus Christ. Virginia’s heart was filled with love and her arms were always open wide, waiting to give you a hug and to tell you that she loved you.

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