Virginia ‘Lee’ Gast
March 31, 2025 at 5:01 p.m.
Virginia “Lee” Gast, age 82, of Indianapolis and formerly of Lafayette and Warsaw, peacefully passed away on Feb. 25, 2025, at IU Health West Hospital after a recent cancer diagnosis.
Lee was born on Jan. 21, 1943, in Goldsboro, N.C., to Frank Kugler and Helene Person. She was married to Larry Frauhiger for over 20 years and together they raised four beautiful children. After their marriage ended, they continued to be friendly and supportive of each other. Lee married her soulmate, Steve Gast, on Oct. 24, 1992, and combined, they had six children, 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She loved being a part of the lives of her family, especially being “Grandma” and “Nana” to the younger generation.
Lee had a career in banking, sold Amway, worked at Zimmer Biomet and managed RV parks throughout her life. She and Steve were members of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Warsaw and loved serving others, whether through the Stephen Ministry, making cheeseballs or participating in the worship service. More recently, Lee attended Bethel United Methodist Church in Indianapolis where she enjoyed helping with their diaper and food pantry. After Steve passed in 2020, Lee lived independently until her death, residing in Neighbor Care of Chapel Hill Senior Living Apartments and more recently at The Oaks in Brownsburg. She made many friends wherever she lived, loved playing cards, watching movies and getting together with family.
Lee is survived by children: Todd (Sandy) Frauhiger, of Brownsburg; Ken (Lori) Frauhiger, of Surfside Beach, S.C.; Doug Frauhiger, of Brownsburg; Ginger Ade (Tom Eastburn), of Otterbein; Bruce (Christi) Gast, of Madisonville, Ky.; and Kelly (Eric) Swank, of Middlebury; by grandchildren: Tasha (Brandon) Mounce, Nathan Ade (Viva Keever), Josh (Heather) and Grace Frauhiger, Melissa Method (John Lockridge), Dawn Hyde, Griffin and Lucy Gast, Bradley (Katelyn), Matthew and Abigail Swank and Tate and Gabby Eastburn; by great-grandchildren: Abigail and Annabelle Mounce, Bricklee, Baker and Blakelyn Frauhiger and Kennedy Swank; and by brother, Father Don Youse; brother-in-law, Dan Woods; and niece, Lindsay (Jason) Gergely. She was preceded in death by her husband, Steve Gast; both parents; sister, Dee Woods; and daughter-in-law, Billie Frauhiger.
Services will be held on Saturday, April 5 at 11 a.m. at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 424 W. Market St., Warsaw, where Lee and Steve’s ashes will be interred together, with arrangements entrusted to McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel in Warsaw.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorial donations be made to Bethel United Methodist Church for their freezer meal, diaper pantry and food pantry ministries.
Virginia “Lee” Gast, age 82, of Indianapolis and formerly of Lafayette and Warsaw, peacefully passed away on Feb. 25, 2025, at IU Health West Hospital after a recent cancer diagnosis.
Lee was born on Jan. 21, 1943, in Goldsboro, N.C., to Frank Kugler and Helene Person. She was married to Larry Frauhiger for over 20 years and together they raised four beautiful children. After their marriage ended, they continued to be friendly and supportive of each other. Lee married her soulmate, Steve Gast, on Oct. 24, 1992, and combined, they had six children, 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She loved being a part of the lives of her family, especially being “Grandma” and “Nana” to the younger generation.
Lee had a career in banking, sold Amway, worked at Zimmer Biomet and managed RV parks throughout her life. She and Steve were members of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Warsaw and loved serving others, whether through the Stephen Ministry, making cheeseballs or participating in the worship service. More recently, Lee attended Bethel United Methodist Church in Indianapolis where she enjoyed helping with their diaper and food pantry. After Steve passed in 2020, Lee lived independently until her death, residing in Neighbor Care of Chapel Hill Senior Living Apartments and more recently at The Oaks in Brownsburg. She made many friends wherever she lived, loved playing cards, watching movies and getting together with family.
Lee is survived by children: Todd (Sandy) Frauhiger, of Brownsburg; Ken (Lori) Frauhiger, of Surfside Beach, S.C.; Doug Frauhiger, of Brownsburg; Ginger Ade (Tom Eastburn), of Otterbein; Bruce (Christi) Gast, of Madisonville, Ky.; and Kelly (Eric) Swank, of Middlebury; by grandchildren: Tasha (Brandon) Mounce, Nathan Ade (Viva Keever), Josh (Heather) and Grace Frauhiger, Melissa Method (John Lockridge), Dawn Hyde, Griffin and Lucy Gast, Bradley (Katelyn), Matthew and Abigail Swank and Tate and Gabby Eastburn; by great-grandchildren: Abigail and Annabelle Mounce, Bricklee, Baker and Blakelyn Frauhiger and Kennedy Swank; and by brother, Father Don Youse; brother-in-law, Dan Woods; and niece, Lindsay (Jason) Gergely. She was preceded in death by her husband, Steve Gast; both parents; sister, Dee Woods; and daughter-in-law, Billie Frauhiger.
Services will be held on Saturday, April 5 at 11 a.m. at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 424 W. Market St., Warsaw, where Lee and Steve’s ashes will be interred together, with arrangements entrusted to McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel in Warsaw.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorial donations be made to Bethel United Methodist Church for their freezer meal, diaper pantry and food pantry ministries.