- Date Of Birth: December 5, 1918
- Date Of Death: October 12, 2021
- State: Illinois
Virginia L. “Virg” (Twardowski) Radke-Flaherty, 102, of Peru, passed away Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at Manor Court in Peru.
Virg was born December 5, 1918 in Peru to Toefil and Katherine (Strozewski) Twardowski. She was a graduate of LaSalle-Peru High School.
She married William C. Radke on July 1, 1945. He passed away December 19, 1993. She later married Francis J. Flaherty on April 26, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Church, Peru after being together over 20 years. He passed away August 23, 2015.
Virg was an active member of St. Joseph’s Church, Peru, the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Zonta and Beta Sigma Phi. She worked at Westclox in Peru and then as a beauty consultant for many years until retirement at Mals Drugstore, which became Shinnicks Drugstore and later Formhals-Purity Drugs in LaSalle.Virg received the Award of Excellence for Community Service in recognition of her “exceptional qualities of leadership, integrity and professionalism, volunteering selflessly, and her distinguished contributions and achievements for the betterment of the community.” A plaque was presented representing years of fundraising and volunteer efforts.
Virg initiated the Christmas Walk in LaSalle with proceeds benefitting the educational field. She volunteered for many years with the local American Red Cross, organizing the Elegant Outlet fundraiser and serving on the board. She also volunteered at the Illinois Veterans Home in LaSalle, Lighted Way, Horizon House and the American Cancer Society. Virg hosted the weekly radio shows, Coffee Club and Project You on WLPO and wrote a column for the Teen Trib called Project You.
Survivors include a daughter, Sharon (Thomas) Tobys of Orofino, ID; step-children, Mary (Tom) Blair of Urbana, John (Susan) Flaherty of Collierville, TN and Nancy (Bill) Lubera of Bartlett; step-daughter-in-law, Edith Flaherty of Peru; six step-grandchildren; 10 step-great-granchildren; a sister, Dolores (Arnold) Gilman of Louisville, KY and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; a daughter, Nancy Radke in childhood; step-son, Patrick Flaherty; her brothers, Donald, Arthur, Harry, Frank and Leonard Twardowski and sisters, Gertrude Jerman and Helen Cass.
