Virginia Tatman (1917 – 2005)

Virginia L. Tatman, age 88 a resident of Kenosha, died Monday July 18, 2005 at St. Catherine?s Hospital in Pleasant Prairie.

Born on July 5, 1917 in Kenosha, she was the daughter of the late Virgil L. and Charlotte (Stenson) Downing Jacobson.

In May of 1942, she married Neil E. Tatman in Kenosha at First United Methodist Church.

She was educated in the schools of Kenosha, Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Racine. She graduated from the Milwaukee State Teacher College and earned a Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

She worked in the chem. lab at American Motors during WWII, followed by teaching art in the six schools of the Consolidated #15 School System. She was the curator of education at the Kenosha Public Museum, and retired from the State of WI Rehabilitation program for severely disabled adults.

Her volunteer career included Girl Scouts, teaching art at the Kenosha Public Museum, Sunday school at her church and Summer Church School.

She enjoyed working with art her entire life; first as a student, then as an art instructor and finally as a working artist, exhibitor and judge. She worked with watercolor and monotypes, and that led to periods of investigation with oil painting, silk screening, ceramics and stained glass. She also had a healthy appreciation for the work of the Western World as well as works by various Japanese Artists.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, SPI Class, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha Public Museum, Chicago Art Institute, Milwaukee Art Museum, Terra Museum-Chicago, and Friends of the Kenosha Library, Wustum Museum-Racine, and founding member of the Kenosha Art Museum. She was also a recipient of the first award for outstanding service to the Anderson Arts Center.

Her art work has been displayed in many galleries; including Art Independent in Lake Geneva; Anderson Art Center, Kenosha; Lilliput Studio, Cambridge, WI; Boise Art Museum, Idaho and the Kenosha Public Museum.

She is survived by three sons; Dr. Neil E. (Mutsuko) Tatman Jr., of Tucson AZ; Gregory L Tatman of Madison, Thomas S. Tatman of Charleston SC., and one daughter Linda (Peter) Crisafulli, Gaithersburg MD. Three grandchildren further survive her. Her parents and one brother William Harold Downing preceded her in death.

Funeral services for Mrs. Tatman will be held on Friday July 22, 2005 at 10:00AM at First United Methodist Church in Kenosha. (Corner of 60th Street and Sheridan Road) Visitation with the family will be held on Thursday evening in the Chapel from 5-7PM, and again on Friday morning from 9:00AM until the time of services. Burial will take place at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park. Your may enter the chapel area from either 10th Avenue OR the parking lot off Sheridan Road.

Please omit flowers; as per the wishes of Virginia, memorials would be appreciated to the First United Methodist Church or the Kenosha Art Association.