Virginia Bales, Identified Individual from Region Unspecified
Virginia Lorene Bales, a beloved figure in the community of Sheridan, Wyoming, passed away on June 18, 2025, at the age of 86. Born on January 14, 1939, in Napoleon, Missouri, to Ellis Alfred Collins and Ruth Coleman Collins, Virginia had a life full of accomplishments and memories.
Virginia started her career in her younger years, working for Levi Strauss & Co., sewing jeans. This was just the beginning of a diverse career that included working as a dietician and kitchen manager, co-owning VR Sales and Service, and managing the nutrition menu for the residents at Eventide/Sheridan Manor (currently Big Horn Rehabilitation).
In addition to her professional achievements, Virginia had a passion for various hobbies. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, listening to music, watching volleyball, and loved football. She was also an animal lover, sharing her life with a dog named Chally. Virginia found great joy in tending to her large vegetable and plant garden.
Virginia was known for her culinary skills, particularly her cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, grout burgers, and cucumber-tomato salads. Her sense of humour was as memorable as her dishes, with Virginia being sarcastic, funny, and witty.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ray Knox. She is survived by her sons Joseph Bales (Raschelle Richards) and Jan Bond (Marie), daughters Nancy Sherman, Gena Plooster, Tammi Barber, and Denise Bond, brother Leon Collins, 14 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.
Local arrangements are under the care of Sheridan Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.sheridanfuneral.com. Virginia will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Virginia's diverse career spanned various industries, including food-and-drink as a dietician and kitchen manager, home-and-garden with her large vegetable and plant garden, and lifestyle in co-owning VR Sales and Service. Her family-dynamics were significant too, survived by sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In her leisure time, Virginia enjoyed watching sports such as football and volleyball, and had a pet dog named Chally. Her relationships extended beyond her family, as she was a beloved figure in the Sheridan community.
