Virginia M. Ohlson (1914-2010) died peacefully on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at age 95 in Northbrook, Illinois. She was a pioneer in the ministry of Nurses Christian Fellowship in Japan and the USA. Her life was devoted to providing professional nursing education and service around the world and she was widely honored in international nursing.
Virginia Ohlson, PhD, RN, FAAN served as a faculty member and administrator in the College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago. She was on the Board of Trustees for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, as well as NCF Advisory Committees and the NCF National Leadership Council.
Virginia's strong Christian faith was evident throughout her nursing career. "In my nursing practice, knowing Jesus enabled me to provide compassionate care to my patients and be close to those who had serious illnesses and knew that they were dying," Virginia said in an article for the Journal of Christian Nursing, "Global Leaders Cast a Vision for Nursing" (Summer 2004). Read more...
In 1991, she was awarded a prestigious honor by the Emperor of Japan for her service to the Japanese people, which included starting NCF in that country through a Bible study ministry to nurses and nursing students. Her amazing story is told in "Virginia Ohlson: Ambassador to Postwar Japan" from the Journal of Christian Nursing, Winter 1988. Read more...
Virginia's legacy lives on in the lives of nurses around the world who have been inspired by her integrity in reflecting the love of Jesus through a life-long career in nursing and nursing education.
