Obituary of Virginia Mae Ziskovsky

Virginia Mae Ziskovsky, 85, of 2329 Cae Drive, Iowa City, died Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at the Coralville United Methodist Church. A reception will follow the services prior to going to the Shueyville Cemetery for burial. Visitation will be from 4 to 7pm Monday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. A memorial fund has been established in Virginia’s memory. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web at www.gayandciha.com. Virginia Mae Gerot was born December 25, 1923, in Riverside, Iowa the daughter of George and Margaret “Mag” (Lemley) Gerot. She attended and graduated from Riverside High School. On January 27, 1945, she was married to Clifford Ziskovsky in Carlsbad, NM, where Cliff was stationed in the Air Force during WWII. The couple moved back to Iowa where they resided in Shueyville before moving to Lincoln Avenue in Iowa City, where they raised their children. They lived at their home on Cae Drive for the last thirty years. Virginia was an avid gardener who grew vegetables, fruits and beautiful flowers. She loved painting and often painted the flowers from her garden. She was an excellent seamstress and was famous in her family for her apple, rhubarb and cherry pies. She enjoyed her friendships and activities through her membership in TOPS, a pinochle club from Shueyville, and a painting club at the Senior Center in Iowa City. She and Clifford were longtime, active members of the Coralville United Methodist Church. Virginia sold Avon for several years and took great pride in her work at the University of Iowa Dental College. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family includes daughter, Maureen Arensdorf and her husband, Nick of Coralville; son Thomas Clifford Ziskovsky and his wife, Kendra of Coralville, daughter Jean Manrique and her husband, Rafael of St. Paul, MN; grandchildren, Nicki Bernico, Richard Echternacht, Justin Echternacht, Andrew Manrique, and Ian Manrique; great-grandchildren, Crystal Schlote, Katie Bernico, Madeline Echternacht, Conner Echternacht, and Ethan Echternacht; two sisters, Betty Simon of Riverside, IA; and Faithe Kupka and her husband, Gene of Phoenix, AZ and a brother & sister-in-law, A.J. Ziskovsky and his wife, Marge of Toledo, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clifford, and five brothers. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Virginia’s Family.