Virginia “Ginny” Ann Hyland passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at Cottagewood Senior Communities in Rochester, MN after a long, courageous battle with Lewy Body Dementia.
Ginny was born in Austin, MN to Virgil and Dorothy (Nielsen) Haugen on May 11, 1947. She graduated from Hayfield High School in 1965, and continued her education at Mankato Commercial College. Upon graduation, she had a job with the Federal Aviation Agency of Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center in Farmington, Minnesota. On June 18, 1967, she married her high school sweetheart, Gerald “Jerry” Hyland at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hayfield, MN. They had two children, Kimberly (Jon) Jacobson of Hayfield, MN and Kelly (James) Pratt of Glen Ellyn, IL.
After working for the FAA, she spent time working at Vernon Creamery, Woodruff Company, Mayo Clinic and then in 1980, she accepted a position in the secretarial training program at IBM. She excelled throughout her career, culminating in her role as Executive Assistant to IBM’s top-level leadership in Rochester. Ginny retired shortly after Jerry and they spent many years at their cabin up north.
During her high school years, she enjoyed playing in the band, singing in the choir, being a wrestling cheerleader and singing in the local church choir group called the Sevenettes. She always found joy spending time with her family, scrapbooking, painting, gardening, singing, snacking in the boat, and wearing a good, quality lipstick. Ginny was a member of West St. Olaf Lutheran Church and enjoyed singing in the church choir.
She is survived by her two daughters, Kim and Kelly; grandchildren, Morgan, Parker, Lauren, Ryan, Andrew and Michael; sisters, Judy (Allan) Wright of Dodge Center, MN, Sara (William) Clegg of Sonoma, CA, Diane (Stephen) Grier of Apple Valley, MN; and brothers, Michael (Delaine) Haugen of Minnetonka, MN, and Patrick (Barb) Haugen, Farmington, MN.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Hyland; and her parents, Virgil and Dorothy Haugen.
A visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026, at Czaplewski Family Funeral Homes, 501 2nd Street NW in Hayfield, MN and one hour before the service at the church. The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at West St. Olaf Lutheran Church, 70640 260th Avenue in Hayfield, MN with Reverend Paul Thompson officiating. Inurnment will be in West St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery.
To share a special memory or condolence please, visit www.czaplewskifuneralhomes.com, Czaplewski Family Funeral Homes, 501 2nd Street NW, Hayfield, Minnesota, 507-477-2259. Blessed be her memory.
