Celebrating the Life of Virginia Harkleroad
Virginia Harkleroad, age 86, went to be with her Lord and Savior, passing away peacefully of natural causes on July 17, 2026, at Milestone Senior Living in Eagle River, Wisconsin, where she resided.
Born in San Diego, California, Virginia's family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in 1950, where her parents worked at the National Laboratory. Virginia was the beloved daughter of the late Chester and Beatrice Smith. She was witty, stubborn, fiercely independent, and loved her family very much. She was incredibly funny and was famous for telling those around her, "You can't tell me what to do!"
In her professional life, Virginia worked as a Computer Programmer at Los Alamos National Laboratory for more than 30 years.
A woman of many talents and passions, Virginia once owned her own quilt shop and was an exceptional seamstress. She generously used her talents to give back by volunteering with Project Linus, creating beautiful, comforting quilts for children in need. She was also an avid football fan who knew more about the game and its players than most people. She loved watching football and could always be found cheering passionately for her favorite teams, the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings.
She is survived by her loving children daughter, Cheryl (Gary) Bjarke; daughter, Brenda (Tom) Timken; and son, Mike (Christine).
She is also survived by her brother, Robert Alan Smith; and her niece, Vicky Lujan-Gibbs.
Her legacy lives on through her cherished grandchildren, Shauna Bjarke, Nels Bjarke, Ashley Chelius, Paige Chelius, Trudy Timken, and Jessica (Andrew) Walker. She is also survived by her beloved great-grandchildren, Brittany Antezana, Brody Walker, Gage Timken, and Brent Bjarke; and her great-great-granddaughter, Ellie Antezana.
Virginia was preceded in death by the love of her life, Stanley Eugene Harkleroad. In addition to Stanley, Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Beatrice Smith; her sister, Barbara Bibeau; and her brothers, Chester Smith and Norman Smith.
A service to honor Virginia's life, laughter, and legacy will be announced by the family at a later date.
Virginia supported several charitable organizations. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made in her honor to one of the following:
• Alzheimer's Association https://www.alz.org/
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV) DAV.org /
• Project Linus https://projectlinus.org /
Arrangements by Gaffney-Busha Funeral Home, Eagle River. Online condolences may be expressed at gaffney-busha.com
