Veronica Ruth Virtue

Veronica Ruth Virtue

Veronica was born December 8, 1939 in Lawrence, Kansas to John “Jack” and Frances “Maxine” Virtue. She passed away October 21, 2019 at Rakhma Harmony Home in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Veronica received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Continuing her education, she received her master’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis on case work from Columbia University School of Social Work in New York. There she was awarded the National Institute of Mental Health Scholarship and was a member of Student Council. In school, she was a topflight student, an outstanding member of her class and one whose future was bright. Later she would become a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She used her skills to become a certified instructor of the Spaulding Method of Phonics. She was a skilled therapist in several treatment modalities, including martial and family therapy and individual therapy. She had great experience in areas of sexual assault and violence to women as well as other women’s issues. Veronica served as a social worker for Pleasantville Cottage School in New York from 1963-1969 and as a senior social worker at Special Counseling and Continuation School in Seattle, Washington from 1970-1971. From 1971-1981 she worked as a clinical social worker at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington. Then moved to Birmingham, Michigan to become a psychotherapist at Lakewood Clinic from 1983-1984. She was a social worker for North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, Minnesota from 1985-1988 and as a principle social worker at Hennepin County Child Protection from 1988-1990. From 1991- 1998 she collaborated with Abbott Northwestern Hospital in their Newborn Intensive Care Unit. Veronica was not satisfied to rest upon her achievement gained in previous positions. She continued to want to learn new ideas and approach problem-solving methods, while always staying in the vanguard of her profession. Her approach to working in an agency was to create harmonious working relationships with others and to quickly demonstrate her dedication to helping through disciplined, creative and courageous work. Colleagues came to know her quick wit and her ability to stay calm in a crisis. Her ongoing loyal contribution to the profession of social work was above reproach. Veronica was an asset to all social work agencies. She worked for many years with children in therapy, in hospitals with direct services and in child welfare/child protection settings. Veronica directed and launched new mental health programs in an educational setting for emotionally/behaviorally disordered children. She also worked in problem pregnancies for many years and served to help in alternative programs for pregnant teenage girls. Veronica served as the Federal Woman’s Coordinator where she advised the commander on status and problems of women in all phases of employment. She authored the proposal of a new clinic and spearheaded the development of Human Sexual Function Clinic under the umbrella of the Social Work Service Family Therapy Institute. She served as a Field Work Coordinator for Social Work Service while working closely with University of Washington School of Social Work in Seattle, Washington. She coordinated field work placement for the University of Washington School and Pacific Lutheran University undergraduate Social Work Programs. She was a dynamic teacher and a truly outstanding resource for less experienced social workers. She was concerned about the individual rights of her clients and patients. Her strive for a high degree of professionalism, competence, energy, empathy and understanding made her a pleasure to work with at these agencies. She supervised for years and offered training and teaching to other professionals and to the community. Veronica worked in leadership roles in program development. She single-handedly spearheaded and implanted a hospital Sexual Assault Program, the first of its kind in a military hospital. This resulted in it becoming a prototype for similar programs in other military hospitals and was used by the Health Services Command of the United States Army as a model for all subsequent assault programs in military hospitals. She was very innovative in this program in that she was able to recruit and train a high-level group of volunteers who worked under her direct clinical supervision. She was very resourceful in providing training and support for this volunteer group. While working for the military hospital her coordination resulted in the publication of the “Avanti” newsletter, the presentation of the bicentennial film – “Emerging Women” and the prevention of problems in employee management. She was even commended as biographer in Who’s Who in American Women. For these achievements she was officially commended by the Department of the US Army for her outstanding performance of duty. The US Army recognized her highly competent ability to preform her passion for social work where she demonstrated her expertise in training the supervising students and enlisted social workers. She had considerable experience in court and enjoyed it. She loved to her work. She was proficient in contributing a vision, a sense of mission, the best training, determination, experience, intelligence and a had a desire to excel in any life/work situation. She had a dedication to an ethical code, a sense of honor, perseverance and a sense of humor. She was featured in several articles in Madigan Mountaineer and other newspapers. She received Outstanding Awards for superior job performance. She had a high level of capability. She was delightful, flexible, intelligent, interested, understanding and served her students and co-workers with the highest respect. She contributed wherever she was and in everything she did. She had the capability of giving to persons she met her undivided attention and managed to convey her concern for them and respect their ideas. She was loyal to her friends, family, community and professional groups. Veronica was a very generous, kind and compassionate individual. Her judgement diligence and professionalism were held in high respect among her co-workers, students and friends. She was an extremely skilled and competent social worker, who was a true team-player. Veronica was committed to her patients and performed her responsibilities reliably. She advocated for everyone she worked with, even in the most difficult of cases.

Veronica Virtue will be buried in her mother’s grave in the Rockfield Cemetery in Veedersburg, Indiana. There are no services planned at this time. If you wish to give a memorial in her name, we are confident that she would would like you to apply it to a group/organization that is helping people through their hardships.