Elena Mafalda Geary, age 90, longtime resident of Virginia died Sunday, August 16, 2015, in the Virginia Convalescent Care Center. She was born April 18, 1925, in Hibbing the daughter of James and Palmerina (Tomaino) Grillo. She was the 8th of 11 children, and very proud of her Italian heritage. She graduated from Hibbing High School in 1943 and went to Washington DC to work in the defense plants during WWII. When the war ended she went to work in Detroit, MI. She returned to Hibbing and married Wilbur Geary in 1946. Her love of music made it fitting that she married a classical musician. They resided in Hibbing, Eveleth and then moved to Virginia, MN in 1951, where her husband took the band-leader's job for 33 years. She was employed at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company and the Arrow Shirt Factory. She enjoyed cooking for her family, and taught her children to love music of all kinds, especially The Rat Pack, Nat King Cole, and Tony Bennett. There was music always playing in the house. She also enjoyed watching and participating in sports – especially golf, volleyball, softball, bowling, and ice skating. Elena enjoyed making crafts after she was widowed and developed a great love of reading, often reading 2-3 books a week.
Elena always put family first and was survived by three children: Kathleen Geary of Katy, TX, Pamela (Murray) Hautamaki of Virginia, MN, and Brian (Jill) Geary of Lakeville, MN; eight grandchildren: Colleen (Mike) Stieneker, Shayna (Chris) Blexrud, Daniel (Jenna) Hautamaki, Mike Hautamaki, Brooke, Megan, and Erika Geary; her sisters: Amelia Novak of Hibbing, MN, Grace Tomich of Boulder, CO; brothers: James Grillo of Hibbing, MN, and William Grillo of Side Lake, MN; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband: Wilbur in 1978; sisters: Angeline Perry, Mary Enich, Josephine Hustad; and brothers: Bruno, Dominic and Frank Grillo.
A Gathering Time for Family and Friends will be held Thursday, August 20, 2015 from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. Memorial Service at the Bauman-Cron Funeral Home Chapel in Virginia. Deacon Mark Skala will be the officiant. Inurnment will take place in the Calvary Cemetery.
Family services are provided by Bauman-Cron, a Bauman Family Funeral Home, in Virginia. To express condolences on-line please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.

Visitation 10 A.M. - 11 A.M. ,Thursday, August 20, 2015
Bauman-Cron Funeral Home Chapel
516 South First Street Virginia, MN 55792
Memorial Service 11:00 A.M. ,Thursday, August 20, 2015
Bauman-Cron Funeral Home Chapel
516 South First Street Virginia, MN 55792
Inurnment 11:45 A.M. ,Thursday, August 20, 2015
Calvary Cemetery - Virginia
1110 North 9th Street Virginia, MN 55792