Virginia Lucretia (Peal) Sannar, the first queen mother of Chief Joseph Days, passed away at age 88 Dec. 2, 2002, at the home of her daughter in Irrigon.

Virginia Lucretia (Peal) Sannar, the first queen mother of Chief Joseph Days, passed away at age 88 Dec. 2, 2002, at the home of her daughter in Irrigon.

Virginia Sannar was born on Upper Prairie Creek Jan. 12, 1914, the fourth child of Enoch Dudley Peal and Mary Jane Ruckman Peal. She attended grade school in a one room schoolhouse east of Joseph on Upper Prairie Creek, graduated from Enterprise High School, and attended nurses training in Baker City.

She married Lester Sannar in 1936. In the early 1940’s they purchased the Joseph Drug Store and renamed it Joseph Sundries. They ran the Oregon State Liquor agency in Joseph for over 50 years.

Since moving to Irrigon Mrs. Sannar kept busy teach Brazilian embroidery, sewing for her family, playing cards, shopping and traveling with her daughter Jane. She was truly quite a remarkable lady.

Mrs. Sannar is survived by her brother-in-law Chester Sannar; daughters Jane McRoberts and Ann Sannar, both of Irrigon; grandsons David Estes and Victor Estes of Irrigon, Russell Estes of Heppner, Lester Estes of Prescott, Wis., and Mickel Estes of Soldotna, Alaska; granddaughters Rita Bergstrom and Virginia Nairns of Heppner, Kathy Mills of Swanton, Ohio and Robyn Curtis of Pasco, Washington; sixteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Saturday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. at Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise. Donations can be made to the family at P.O. Box 284 Irrigon; sent to the Joseph Fire Department in Joseph in her name to go toward the fire truck; or to the Heppner Fireman’s Auxiliary at P.O. Box 743 Heppner, OR 97836.