Family and friends will gather Thursday as a Funeral Mass is held for Virginia Kord, and they’re sharing this remembrance now:
Virginia Ann Kord
Jan 27, 1935 — Jul 13, 2026
West SeattleVirginia Ann Kord, 91, of Seattle, passed away on July 13, 2026, a sunny day made a lot darker for her family, who cherished her presence in their lives – and every visit in her final weeks.
Virginia was born on Jan. 27, 1935, in Blackduck, Minn., the eighth of John and Elsie Trautmann’s 10 kids. In the 1940s, her family moved to Seattle, where she graduated from Franklin High School in 1953. Five years later, Virginia married Gene Kord, beginning a new life around the Northwest, including Tacoma, Federal Way, Spokane, and Oregon City before settling down with their five kids in West Seattle.
Virginia was a strong, independent woman with a voracious appetite for learning, great sense of humor, inspiring resilience – and quite a sweet tooth right up to her final hours of life. She was a hard-working mom who cared for all five kids and baked the most delicious birthday cakes. She also took up an impressive array of hobbies: oil painting, creative writing, genealogy, sewing, upholstery and – you guessed it – cake decorating.
In another era, Virginia may very well have been a CEO. Instead, she ran a tight ship around the house with the precision of a Swiss watch and the uncanny ability to find anything: socks, wallets, homework, T-shirts. Few things were ever lost for long.
There were certainly rough days, too. But she never showed it, providing strength and stability to the entire family – and dinner served at 6 p.m. sharp without fail.
When the kids grew up, Virginia accepted a job as an administrative assistant at Holy Rosary Church, where she and Gene were active members. She worked there for over a decade, adding bookkeeping and tech duties along the way, and was regaled with a retirement party that filled the hall with well-wishers.
Never one to take her foot off the gas, Virginia enjoyed traveling with Gene to places like Europe and Wyoming’s Grand Tetons, but she loved nothing more than seeing her siblings and their families in California and Minnesota – except for spending time with her grandkids, be it for ballgames, graduations, or an extra scoop of ice cream.
Her beloved Gene passed away in 2016, a pivotal point in Virginia’s life, but she embraced her new-found independence with an open mind. Virginia regularly visited The Center for Active Living, where her lifelong craving to learn was stoked once again. She participated in a current-affairs group that discussed social and political hot topics, practiced tai chi, and got her steps in while line dancing.
Volunteering also played an important role in Virginia’s life. She served as the treasurer of Holy Rosary’s Society of St. Vincent de Paul and a lector at the Pigott Chapel at Mount St. Vincent assisted living facility. Virginia was also a member of the women’s spiritual group at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where she was appreciated or her insights during discussions about scripture.
Virginia loved meeting new people and making friends but valued her alone time, too, engrossing herself in elaborate puzzles for days, staying up to speed on technology, and reading a wide range of books to keep her mind sharp. Among her favorite reads were “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life” by Marshall B. Rosenberg and “The Good Rain” by Timothy Egan. She also embraced mindful meditation during the pandemic, which gave her a sense of calm through a tumultuous time.
Virginia spent her last two years in assisted living facilities, endearing herself to her fellow residents and presenting a final show of strength to her family by living out her life with grace and a smile – and one last treat for her sweet tooth.
In addition to her parents, Virginia was preceded in death by her devoted husband Gene, beloved great-grandson Aiden Stubblebine, and cherished siblings John Trautmann, Jim Trautmann, Dorothy Anderson, Rita Trautmann, Rod Trautmann, Mary Margaret Stern, and Tom Trautmann. She is survived by dear siblings: Laura Jean Jacoby and Bob Trautmann; treasured children Cathy Peda (Jeff), Lori Kord Clark (Chris), Mary Ballanger (Barry), Margie McGillis (Bill), Mike Kord (Elaine Abiera); 12 wonderful grandchildren: Jordan McGillis (Cynthia Bell McGillis), Amanda Stubblebine (Andrew), Kristen Behrends (Brian), Taylor McGillis (Krissy), Kelsey Clark (Phil Samuelson), Megan Antush (Alex), Alex Ballanger (Kailey Silverstein), Marissa McGilllis, Molly Ballanger, Will McGillis (Sarah Lane), Ben Kord and Gabby McGillis; and 7 adorable great-grandchildren: Brooklyn and Addison Behrends, Reggie, Blair and George McGillis, Piper McGillis and Jesse Ballanger.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 7100 35th Ave. SW, Seattle. If you can’t attend, log on to www.olgseattle.org/livestreaming-at-olg for the livestream. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (www.holyrosaryseattle.org/stvincent) or the Center for Active Living (www.wscenter.org/get-involved/donate).
Please share your condolences and memories of Virginia in her guestbook at: www.emmickfunerals.com/obituaries/virginia-kord
Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)