Born in Washakie County in 1932 to John and Margaret (Eckert) Salzman, Virginia graduated from Washakie County High School and then attended Carroll College, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1953. While at Carroll, she met the love of her life, Jim (Bud) Foreman, a student at Montana School of Mines. They were married in St. Mary Magdalen Church in Worland in 1953.
Virginia and Jim had a long, fun and adventurous life together, traveling all over the world. She recently said, "I've had a wonderful life – I've done everything I wanted to do and I've seen everything I wanted to see – and then some!"
Working as a Registered Nurse, Virginia helped get Jim through two master's degrees in Metallurgical Engineering and an MBA from Stanford University.
As Jim moved up the corporate ladder in the mining industry, "Ginny" was at his side - in Utah, British Columbia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Botswana, British Columbia (again),and Washington State.
In 1982, they built a home in Canyon Creek Village outside of Ten Sleep (under the watchful eye of Virginia's father, John) and made it their permanent residence in 1989. They later acquired more property, ran a 250 cow/calf operation and constructed a 9-hole golf course adjacent to their home.
They loved going on cruises and trips with Virginia's sister, Barbara, and her Salzman aunts. Along with being a regular churchgoer at St. Mary Magdalen and its mission in Ten Sleep, Virginia was an active member of the Soroptimist Club for many years and a generous donor to many causes. A true animal lover, at the time of her death she still had five cats, all of which had been abandoned at her door.
In recognition of their service to the community, Jim and Virginia were named Volunteers of the Year by the Worland/Ten Sleep Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors in 2012.
More than anything, she was devoted to Jim, and they were rarely seen apart. Jim was diagnosed with Alzheimer's more than 15 years ago and Virginia helped him remain active as long as possible. For the last three years, she made nearly daily trips from Ten Sleep to see him in the Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, regardless of weather.
In addition to Jim, Virginia is survived by her son, Matt Foreman and his husband Francisco De Leon of New York City and San Francisco, Samantha Strickler of Worland, whom Virginia considered a best friend and daughter, her sister's children Colette and Marc Plourde, Jim's sister Ann Ford and her son J.D. St. Clair, and many cousins from the Salzman and Eckert families.
A Christian wake will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Church on Thursday at 7:00pm and a funeral Mass on Friday at 10:30am, also at St. Mary Magdalen. Fr. Tom Ogg, Virginia's cousin, will be Principal Celebrant at the Mass. The family would welcome gifts in her honor to St. Joseph's Society-Retired Priests Fund, 141 S. Center St., Suite 200, Casper, WY 82601.