Virginia Garastik

Virginia "Gini" Pratt Thayer (Garastik), age 84, of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 14th at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes, surrounded by her children, daughter-in-law and brother, Richard J. Pratt. Virginia Mae Pratt was born February 8, 1934 in Fargo, North Dakota to Lester G. Pratt and Audrey Bonin Pratt. She showed her horse, Honey and was a medal winning equestrian, graduated from Fargo Central High and went on to receive her degree in Home Economics at North Dakota State University. She began her teaching career in Home Ec in Audubon, Minnesota and later moved with her three children to Minneapolis where she taught clothing construction for many years at West High School in the Uptown Area and later at South High in Edina, Minnesota. She retired in 1987 to her long-time Pratt family lake house at 836 South Shore Drive on Big Detroit Lake. Gini was an accomplished artist, gardener and seamstress, with her own original line of children's clothing and fabric purses called Butterfly Kiss; a master of needlework, quilting and hand crafts; a collector of art and antiques and lover of books, birds and animals. She was always reading something and working on the latest project and passion. She was joined this past June by her eldest daughter, Leslie Thayer Mann, who relocated from Massachusetts to live with and care for her. She is also survived by her daughter, Lisa Thayer of Los Angeles, son Mitch Thayer of Minneapolis and grandchildren: Rollie, Audrey and Elza Thayer, Anais Mann and V.C. Ferry. A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 19th at 2:00 in the Fireside Room of the Detroit Lakes United Methodist Church for family and friends. There will also be a ceremony at the Memorial Wall outdoors in the church garden to be announced later this spring or summer.