Virginia Tranel, 90, died on Sept. 30, 2024 in Bozeman, Montana. She spent her final days surrounded by family, music, her original art on the walls, and readings from her books. Her incredibly generative life was characterized by curiosity and creativity.
Virginia was born on Dec. 10, 1933, in Dubuque, Iowa, the youngest of three children born to Anna and Charles Holmberg. Virginia attended parochial schools and graduated from Clarke College in Dubuque in 1955.
Virginia's date to Clarke’s senior prom was Ned N. Tranel. They married on Jan. 26, 1957 and moved West. Following Ned’s career and realizing their shared dream to raise a family in the country, they lived in Washington, Kansas, Wyoming, and Montana, settling longest and most recently in Billings.
If there were a Hall of Fame for mothers, Virginia would be in it. She and Ned had 10 children over 21 years. Before microwaves and cell phones, she managed an ever-growing family which at one point included three kids in college, two in high school, one in junior high, one in elementary school, a preschooler, and a newborn.
A child of the Great Depression, Virginia sewed everything from her own maternity clothes to matching western shirts for Ned and the boys and matching pajamas for the little girls. She baked six loaves of bread twice a week. Clotheslines were inside and outdoors as well. Ironing was not on the schedule.
She read to her children. Early, constantly, engagingly.
Together, she and Ned made Christmas a magical time. In a moment of distraction, she believed the children could safely set the holiday table with her wedding china.
Virginia’s own talents and rich life of the mind meant she expected, supported, and understood her family’s educational pursuits. Having come of age in the ‘50’s, she insisted her own generational limits never limit her children. She believed in all their plans and dreams. She and Ned attended at least 20 post-high school graduations.
Even as a busy young mother, Virginia found time to cultivate her own intellect and creativity. As the kids grew, Virginia branched out. She enrolled in water color, oil, and figure drawing classes. Her original artwork adorns the walls in her own and her children’s homes.
“Love of story” imbued Virginia’s life. Her literary range was vast: biographies, novels, memoirs, art history, books on philosophy, the enneagram, and psychology. Virginia was a cradle Catholic who, like Aquinas, had profound questions about spirituality and also sought a balance between faith and reason. She loved a good conversation about mystery and wonder.
Virginia wrote. She honed her craft locally (Writers’ Voice, High Plains Book Festival) and studied in the Iowa Summer Writing Program. A disciplined author, she set office hours, hired an agent, and in 2003 Knopf published her memoir Ten Circles Upon the Pond. She published two other books and many articles and essays. Even her email exchanges were well-composed.
Virginia dedicated herself to nurturing deep relationships with each of her children and grandchildren. She loved her sons and daughters-in-law like her own, and was a cherished mother figure to them in turn.
Virginia made herself available. She took phone calls no matter what – even during her sacrosanct writing hours. She could immediately sense each child’s frame of mind. She was thoughtful, witty, and direct. Asked whether childbirth would hurt, she replied, “Yes.” In a recent visit from a great grandchild, she stated she knew very well how to handle a 3-year-old. She was confident she’d see Ned in heaven and if the two of them couldn’t get along, then “neither one of us deserve to be there.”
She knew each child’s voice, to the end.
Grandchildren arrived, 31 in all. Virginia enjoyed everything from their basketball games to opera performances to weddings (even officiating at one). She was keenly interested in any budding writer or artist and never made it easy for anyone to best her in her favorite games of wordplay like Quiddler and Scrabble.
In 1999, she paid an extended visit to her daughter in Madrid, to experience art, history, language, culture. Together Virginia and Ned enjoyed travel to Korea, Australia, Italy, Austria, the UK, and more, to explore on their own and share in the family’s adventures. She lit candles – often kind of a blaze – on her dining room table when family members were traveling.
The soundtrack to Virginia’s life was piano and guitar music (although she believed the drums and tuba were worthy as well). Her grand piano was likely her most cherished possession. She played, sang, and appreciated music across decades and genres. As her death neared and family gathered at her bedside, we felt certain she could hear us singing her favorite love songs and ballads.
Virginia is predeceased by her husband Ned (2016) and her beloved daughter-in-law Dana Tranel (2018). She is also predeceased by her brother John Holmberg (Louisville KY), her sister Anne Marie Holmberg (Dubuque, IA), and eleven of Ned’s 12 siblings.
Virginia is survived by her 10 children and 31 grandchildren: Dan Tranel (Natalie Denburg) of Iowa City, Iowa (Thomasin/Thomas, Courtney/Matthew, Sidney, Alexis, Darin); Mike Tranel (Mary Tidlow) of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (Kelsey/Tom, Abigail, Olivia); Elizabeth (Jim) Halverson of Billings (Ben/Christina, John/Virginia, Eric/Nora); Ned Anthony Tranel of Billings (Nathanial, Nicholas, Gabriel, Samuel, Madeline); Alane Tranel (Christopher Smith) of Iowa City (Kazimier, Gisela); Monica Tranel (Greg Lind) of Missoula; (Zara, Miariah, Clara); Paul Tranel (Angela) of Missoula (Quinn, Gavin); Jennie Tranel (Mike Neeley) of Bozeman (Isaac, Elena); Ben Tranel (Yunjin Seong) of San Francisco, California (Adelaide, Ignatius); and Adrienne Tranel (Ben Davis) of Missoula (Alexandra, Emilia, Abraham, Louisiana).
Nine great-grandchildren have arrived so far (Oliver, Jude, Matilda, Tatum, Lorelei, Walter, Ramona, Silvia, Miles).
Special thanks to Virginia’s women friends in Billings whose wisdom and sorority sustained her over the years, and to new friends and compassionate carers at Aspen Pointe and Birchwood in Bozeman. We are especially grateful to Cara Shawver and JoAnne Naro for their steadfast care and help.
Funeral services will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 717 18th Street West in Billings, MT, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at 11:00am, with burial at St. Pius Calvary Cemetery.
A vigil service and celebration of Virginia’s life with music, videos, and stories, will be held on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, from 7-9 p.m. at Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Virginia’s honor to the Yellowstone Art Museum, your local education foundation in support of literacy, or charity of your choice that supports literature and the arts.
Mom, Grandma, thanks for showing us the way with courage and curiosity, and for teaching us how to dream and how to build the foundations under our dreams. We will carry your lessons with us always.
