Virginia E Santarius

Virginia Ellen “Ginny” Heine Santarius, age 95 of Hazelhurst, WI passed away Friday, May 21st at Riverview Health Services in Tomahawk, WI. Ginny was born on June 3, 1925 in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin the daughter of Frank and Ella (nee Bonk) Heine. She graduated from South Milwaukee High School. Ginny married Rudy A. Santarius on June 22, 1946.
Ginny taught baton twirling while still in High School and, at eighteen, opened Ginny’s Baby Shop in South Milwaukee. Then she raised her three sons, John, Jim and Randy. In 1961, Ginny and Rudy bought and operated Merry Dale Resort in Rhinelander. Three years later, they bought Styza’s Birchwood Lodge American Plan Resort in Hazelhurst, and on January 1, 1964 they moved in. They changed the name to the Wisconsinaire, which they owned and operated, then sold and regained ownership, changing the name to Eagle Shores Resort and the cabins to housekeeping. In October 1994 they sold Eagle Shores to their son Jim and his wife Jan who continue to run Eagle Shores Resort, where Ginny and Rudy lived until their deaths.
Ginny was an excellent artist and was active in local art groups, selling her painting through the resorts and elsewhere. She loved dogs and also was involved in several rescue dog organizations.
She is survived by her sons John (Mary Gorz) Santarius, James “Jim” (Janet Bubbly) Santarius, Randal “Randy” (Cynthia Poole) Santarius and by her beloved grandchildren: Megan (Griffin) Schnitzler, Erik Santarius, Trevor (Kristin Labs) Santarius , Kate (Luke) Southard, Jill (Cayson) Nicholson, Joe (Trisha Holmes) Santarius, Rachel (Christopher) Gross, Sarah (Jonathan) Dickenson and by her great-grandchildren: Victor Schnitzler, Violet Schnitzler, Sylvia Schnitzler, Emery Southard, Nolan Nicholson, Hunter Gualdoni, Makenzie Santarius, Elizabeth Gross, Avery Gross, Jordan Gross, Kate Gross, Chandler Gross, Amelia Dickenson, Owen Dickenson
Ginny was preceded in death by: her husband, Rudy Santarius, her parents, Frank Heine and Ella (Bonk) Heine, and her sister, Mary Ann Heine Hendryx
Graveside Services took place at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Woodruff, WI.
Online condolences may be shared at nimsgernfuneral.com
NIMSGERN FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES IS SERVING THE FAMILY.