Virginia “Ginny” L. Ketter, age 96, of Alexandria, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at her home in Nelson Gables in Alexandria.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria with Rev. Amy VanValkenburg presiding. Interment will take place at a later date at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Nehawka, Nebraska.

The visitation is one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Virginia Lee was born on June 9, 1930, to Harry and Bernice (VanWinkle) Guthals in Nebraska City, Nebraska. She was raised on the family farm alongside her three siblings and attended country school through the eighth grade. She was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church before graduating from Nebraska City High School with the Class of 1947. Following graduation, Virginia accepted her first position as secretary to the manager of a business in Syracuse, Nebraska. It was there that she met Richard Johnson, and the two were married a year later. Together they were blessed with three children: Karen, Joyce, and Wayne. In 1961, Richard and Virginia fulfilled a lifelong dream by purchasing a resort on Lake Miltona. The family moved to Minnesota, where they owned and operated the resort while raising their children. Following Richard's unexpected passing in May of 1969, Virginia sold the resort the following year. Later in 1970, Virginia married George Ketter and made her home on his farm, where she also embraced the role of stepmother to his three children, Terri, Todd, and Dawn. The following year, she began working at the Alexandria Clinic, where she remained until her retirement in 1992. Virginia found great joy in caring for her large garden and enjoyed canning and freezing its harvest. She was especially known for raising beautiful African violets and enjoyed creating ceramics. In their younger years, she and George enjoyed dancing, camping, and spending time with their children and grandchildren. In June of 2011, Virginia and George sold their longtime home and moved to Westbrook Estates, where they enjoyed the simplicity of a smaller home together. They later became residents of Nelson Gables. Ginny's strength, love, and quiet example will continue to live on through her children, grandchildren, and generations to come.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Richard Johnson and George Ketter; daughter, Joyce Kalpin; two sisters; and one brother.

Virginia is survived by her children, Karen (Gary) Tinklenberg and Wayne (Deb) Johnson; son-in-law, Dan Kalpin; stepchildren, Terri (Charles) Desa, Todd (Jan) Ketter, and Dawn (Robert) Clinton; grandchildren, May, Richard, Chad, Dustin, Sarah, and Rich; step-grandchildren, Jason, Jared, Alisha, Scott, Nicholas, and Tianna; 15 great-grandchildren; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.