Virginia Ruth Tonn, 89, of Denton, passed away on January 31, 2017 after a brief illness. She was born on February 19, 1927 in Electra, Texas to Jacob and Trudy Meroney. After graduating from Saint Jo, Texas High School as the valedictorian of her 1944 class, she moved to Kilgore, Texas to attend Kilgore Junior College. After receiving her associate's degree, she moved to Andrews, Texas where she began her teaching career. She came to Denton in the late 1940s to attend North Texas Teachers College (now UNT) where she met and married the late Ewell S. Tonn of Coahoma, Texas in 1950. They were married for 65 years until his death in July, 2015.

She earned a bachelor's degree in Education from North Texas and served for several years as a first grade teacher in Cedar Hill, Texas, and later at three elementary schools in the Denton Independent School District. More importantly to Virginia, she lived out her strong belief in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and Lord over many years and was well known for her principled life, quiet loving attitude, and generous hospitality. She was a dedicated mother and grandmother, a talented cook and homemaker, a master teacher, and a dear friend to many.

Visitation will be Friday, February 3, from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. at DeBerry Funeral Directors in Denton. Her funeral service will be Saturday, February 4, at 10:00 A.M. in the chapel at DeBerry. Bruce Conrad will give a brief message during the service. Burial will follow at the Princeton Cemetery in Princeton, Texas. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Peter, Mark, and Thomas Buchanan; Caleb Tonn, Clay Tolin, and David LaGrone.

Virginia is survived by daughters: Joanna Buchanan (and husband Philip) of Villa Park, Illinois, and Martha Tonn of Denton; sons: Stephen Tonn of Denton, and Dan Tonn (and wife Linda) of Denton; 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Ewell S. Tonn; her parents; sisters: Lucille Gilbert, Trellis Sidwell, and Jane Prather Hilton; brothers T. J., Kenneth, James, and Howard Meroney.