Granite City woman killed when car crashed into her home remembered for ‘godly kindness’
Virginia Ohren was known for helping others.
That’s what she was doing on the evening of July 5 before a vehicle smashed into her Granite City home and caused her death. The driver was arrested and charged with two felony counts of aggravated DUI.
Ohren had spent the night at Johnson Road General Baptist Church preparing snacks for children attending the first evening of vacation Bible school at the Granite City church, according to Pastor Larry Blankley.
Blankley and a former co-worker at the U.S. Steel plant in Granite City praised Ohren for her work ethic and care for others.
“She was every pastor’s dream for a member,” said Blankley, who will officiate funeral services for Ohren on Saturday.
Ohren, who was 73, would drive people to appointments, clean the church, read stories to nursing home residents and teach Bible lessons to children.
Blankley said Ohren would give him money and ask him to give it to someone who he thought would really need it. In the days after Ohren’s death, Blankley realized he had a $20 bill from Ohren in his wallet. That was leftover from $50 Ohren had given him.
The two first met about 15 years ago when Ohren joined Johnson Road church. About six years later, he became the church’s pastor.
“She was such a person of selflessness and she was a person of sacrifice. It was a godly love and a godly kindness,” Blankley said.
“She was such a blessing,” he said. “I can’t think of a time that Virginia told me ‘no.’ It was always, ‘What can I do?’ She was a participator in life and not a spectator in life.”
Steel mill work
Paul Reagan retired from U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works facility after working there for more than 40 years. He and Ohren were coworkers for more than half of that time.
Like Blankley, Reagan was amazed by Ohren’s energy and strength. He said Ohren had a slight build but could handle all of the tough assignments at the steel mill, including operating a jackhammer.
Reagan first met Ohren when they worked together in yard maintenance. One of their jobs called for them to clear out bricks from furnaces in a basement.
“We would have to go inside and break the brick out and drop them down into what we called hoppers,” Reagan said. “It was very, very hot work. We had to do that by hand and Virginia was right there. She could handle it without a problem.”
Ohren worked at the plant for 32 years, according to her obituary. After she served in yard maintenance, she worked as a caster runout operator at the steel mill.
Reagan said Ohren was proud of her work with Women of Steel, an arm of the United Steelworkers union.
“Virginia was 110 percent union,” Reagan said. “She was a very hard worker. Once she set her mind to do something, it would get done.”
Funeral services
Ohren’s survivors include her daughter, Karen Ann (Joel) LaFrance of St. Jacob; her son, Leonard L. (Shawna) Ohren of Belleville; five grandchildren; her sister, Genevieve M. (Ralph) Rensing of Alhambra; and her brother, Richard Schleper of Highland.
Blankley said Ohren was fond of her dog Honey, who survived the crash into Ohren’s home on Joy Avenue.
Visitation for Ohren will be 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday at Johnson Road General Baptist Church at 2033 Johnson Road in Granite City.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. at the church with a meal to follow. Burial will be at the Highland City Cemetery.
Arrangements are being handled by Wojstrom Funeral Home & Crematory in Granite City.
Charges against driver
Jonathan M. Beasley, 47, of the 3400 block of Colgate Place in Granite City, faces two charges of aggravated driving while under the influence causing death in connection with the fatality, according to a news release from Granite City Police Major Nick Novacich, the assistant chief of the department.
Beasley was being held in the Madison County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $200,000 bond . A not-guilty plea was entered into county court records for Beasley on Monday.
Edwardsville attorney Jessica Koester is representing Beasley.
Koester said this week she had not yet received the police report of the crash and couldn’t comment on the case.
This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
