Virginia H. Harlow

Virginia Hallam Harlow, 101, passed away at her home in Naples, Florida, on February 13, 2017. 

Virginia was born in Bay City, Michigan on July 12, 1915, to the late Earl Dean and Nellie Patrick Hallam.  She married Edgar W. Wuepper of Bay City, who died in 1957.  Virginia had a son from that marriage, Kirk D. Wuepper, M.D., a research dermatologist, who predeceased her in 1994.  She helped established a professorship in Kirk’s name at the University of Michigan Medical School, his alma mater.

Virginia worked for many years as a clothing buyer and manager of ladies ready-to-wear for Sams Brothers department store in Bay City.  She had a great sense of style.  Virginia was also gifted in math and taught herself the fundamentals of investing and business.  After her first husband died, she went to work for the Dow Chemical Company in Midland.

At Dow, Virginia met I. Frank Harlow, a tax lawyer and eventual General Counsel for the company.  They married in 1958 and lived in Midland until his death in 1997.  They spent their summers at Walloon Lake, Michigan, and in later years, wintered in Stuart, Florida. 

While in Midland, Virginia was a member of the Twentieth Century Club, the Midland Symphony League, Hospital Volunteers, and Lawyers Wives of Midland County.  She was also a member of the Kalamazoo College Women’s Council and a life member of the Chippewa Nature Center.

After Frank’s death, Virginia moved to Moorings Park in Naples, Florida, where she had many friends and stayed active until shortly before her death. 

Survivors include her children Ruth E. Harlow (Deidre Sullivan) of New York City, Linda Harlow Cannon (Glen) of Springfield, Virginia, John T. Harlow (Noralyn) of St. Paul, Minnesota, eight grandchildren ranging in age from 10 to 52, and twelve great-grandchildren who live across the globe, from Tokyo to Germany to Minnesota and the West Coast.  Another son, Douglas F. Harlow, predeceased her.

A later service and burial in Midland will be private.  In lieu of flowers, please give to the Mid-Michigan Health Center (Midland, Michigan), where Frank was a trustee for many years, or to the charity of your choice.  To contact the family, you may write via Linda Cannon, 7408 Spring Valley Dr., Apt. 123, Springfield VA 22150.  We were lucky to have Virginia in our lives for so many years.

 Service Information