Virginia R. Caro, age 91, of Manistee, Michigan, passed away peacefully Sunday afternoon, May 3, 2015 at Green Acres of Manistee. Graveside committal service will be Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Athol Cemetery near Athol, SD. Reverend Tim Fugman will officiate. There will be a time for coffee and fellowship after the service at the Athol Community Hall. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Born Virginia Rose Reinecke in Athol, South Dakota on May 28, 1923, she was the daughter of Raymond and Frieda (Rasmussen) Reinecke. She was a graduate of Athol High School - Class of 1941. She attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, SD and earned a Bachelor of Science Degrees in Music and Elementary Education. She earned a Masters Degree in Music and Counseling from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. She taught for five years in South Dakota before moving to Manistee in 1952 to teach music in the Manistee Area Public Schools. She taught for 28 years before retiring in 1980. After retirement she gave private lessons in her home.

On August 4, 1957 she was united in marriage to Fred A. Caro. He preceded her in death on September 5, 2005. Fred and music were the absolute loves of her life.

She organized the Manistee Choral Society and was its director for 50 years. She was a member of the Manistee United Methodist Church, where she was choir director for 55 years. She was a life member of the Order of Eastern Star - Manistee Chapter 300, where she was a Past Worthy Matron. She held many other offices in the Star including Grand Representative to the State of Minnesota in Michigan. She was a member of the Manistee Retired Teachers Association and the AAUW. Fred and Virginia loved boating and sailing. They worked together for 25 years at Home Service Photography Studio.

Virginia is survived by 3 step sons: Lawrence (June) Caro of Port Washington, WI, Robert (Gina) Caro of San Diego, CA and Donald (Jayne) Caro of Manistee; by 6 step grandchildren and several step great-grandchildren; by a nephew, Jay (Linda) Osterloh of Hecla, SD, by nieces, Joan (Mark) Dobratz of Fargo, ND and Julie Borr of Polloch, SD, grand nieces and nephews and great-grand niece and nephews and by her long time care givers, Thalia Snellenberger and Ron Muszinski, both of Manistee.

In addition to her parents and husband, Virginia was also preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law, Lucille & Virgil Osterloh.