In a world overflowing with unique people, Virginia Kellogg was completely and utterly distinctive. She never fit into the tidy box that described a “Johnson County Mom” (though she did aspire to that title in moving to the area from Wyandotte County as a young mother). She was always far more. Far, far more.

Unconventional is probably the first word that comes to mind. But she was more complicated than that. Vivacious. Vain. Stubborn. Arrogant. Beautiful. Lively. Talented. Generous. Spirited. Tenacious. Ambitious. Obstinate. Fearless. Funny. Outrageous.

If you met her, you can undoubtedly add your own personal descriptor.

Born in August 1938 in Linneus, Mo., to Ira Charles “Charley” Benjamin Hott and Aleda Mae (Creason) as Virginia Mae Hott — a last name she loved and often shared with other people (even upon meeting for the first time) by telling them: “I’m the hottest virgin you’ll ever meet!” — her challenging childhood molded her in ways that radically shaped her perspectives as an adult. With an alcoholic father and promiscuous mother, who often physically fought their battles in front of their only child, she was exposed to the worst examples of parenting. The negative side to this experience led to a nurturing style that was avant-garde, to say the least. But her somewhat cavalier maternal attitude didn’t mean she didn’t fiercely love her three children. She continuously boasted of their accomplishments to anyone she met.

She was graduated from Argentine High School in 1956 and, soon after, met her husband-to-be, Everett Kellogg. They married August 3, 1958. She was a beautician at the respected Style & Charme Salon, and he was an engineering student. A few months later, she became pregnant with their son, Curtis Wayne Kellogg, and Everett switched careers, getting his stylist license and taking over her clientele when she gave birth the next October.

Four years later, she gave birth again, this time to daughter Gina and, after another 2 years, to Lorie.

She worked as a stay-at-home mom for a few years before taking an active role in the salon Everett eventually purchased from its previous owner. She worked as a stylist, manicurist, receptionist and manager while also teaching for several years as an instructor at Calohan’s Beauty School.

In the 1980s, however, she took on a pivotal role in the revitalization of the Brookside shopping area, becoming executive secretary (and eventually executive director) of the Brookside Merchants Association.

While some people she encountered in her work for Brookside disparaged her lack of formal education or experience, she never gave up, transforming the position into that of a promoter and marketer. Singlehandedly, she started the Brookside Art Annual, the Brookside St. Patrick’s Day Warm-Up Parade, relit the gas lamps — the signature element of the area — and, basically, put Brookside on the map for many Kansas Citians.

When naysayers denied her ideas and plans, citing bureaucracy or red tape — or simply telling her, “That’s not how you’re supposed to do it!” — she picked up the phone and directly called Mayor Berkley or whoever was in charge to get the permissions she needed.

Today, the Brookside show ranks in the top 20 art shows nationwide, and the Best of Show award is named in Virginia’s honor. The St. Patrick’s Day Warm-Up Parade is a lively event that has grown in size and popularity each year with a variety of K.C. celebrities leading the parade.

Virginia herself was a talented, self-taught artist. In high school, she won a city-wide art competition for the drawing she did of the Bodhi-sattva statue of Quan Yin at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. When her children were young, she drew Disney characters for them on large rolls of butcher paper. She learned the art of acrylic painting and, later in life, she turned her creativity to painting ceramics, selling many of her pieces in local craft fairs or simply giving them generously to friends.

She was very involved with the local Beta Sigma Phi sorority, serving in a variety of roles in the ’60s and ’70s, being named “Girl of the Year,” serving as the Ways and Means Chairwoman and organizing balls and events. She was also intimately involved in the planning of many class reunions over the years.

And while she was eclectic in her friendships and interests, she still played an active role in her children’s undertakings, serving as a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader, acting as chaperone at school events and even volunteering to be in charge of purchasing essential items for her daughter’s newly built sorority chapter house at the University of Kansas.

She left an indelible impression on her children’s friends as “the coolest mom” — though, admittedly, some of the actions she took that made them so fond of her — such as buying liquor for prom night — would put her in jail today! Other memories that have been shared were of driving her daughter’s friends to the Plaza to go on a spree of movie-watching (including at least one Cheech-and-Chong film that might not have been completely appropriate for a group of 13-year-olds), nearly getting thrown out of the Seville Square theater for encouraging everyone to have a “rocking contest” and driving through the Plaza “looking for hookers.” And while at least one daughter tried to convince her friends that the “burning smell” they encountered upon entering the house was simply the vacuum belt getting stuck, they knew that Virginia was actually sneaking a doobie.

She generously took in her children’s friends when they needed a place to stay, whether it was just for a weekend when their parents were traveling or because their living situations weren’t safe. She hired her son’s friends for projects around the house and in Brookside. And she eagerly lived vicariously through all of her children’s events.

And while she took great pride in all of her children’s accomplishments, the true joy of her life was the birth of her grandson, Cole Hogan. Summers were spent taking Cole on numerous vacations all over the country, from the Catskills to Alaska. The most immediate way to get a smile from her was simply to mention Cole’s name. He was the highlight of her entire life.

Virginia’s ornery side was legendary. Some of the most infamous episodes include:

• Encouraging her husband and friends to skinny dip at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in the Ozarks, jumping in to the outdoor/indoor pool and swimming under the egress to have their own private party inside.

• Soaping the J.C. Nichols fountain on the Country Club Plaza with her girlfriends, then rushing back to the car they had left running for a quick getaway only to find they had locked the keys in it.

• Insisting she wanted to see the movie “Alien” at the Glenwood Arts Theater, despite her family warning her she wouldn’t like it, and then standing up in the middle of the theater and stating — in a voice that reverberated throughout the auditorium — “I can’t believe you brought me to this $*!%# movie!” and storming out.

• Stopping at the infamous Bunny Ranch in Las Vegas and going inside to ask for a job application.

(Mind you, she was an adult during all of the above escapades!)

Undoubtedly, she developed her rebellious nature in part from overcoming many adversities, such as:

• When her father — a head-injury patient — was released from Osawatomie State Hospital in 1969, she and Everett brought him to live with their young family. He resided with them until a few years before his death in 1995.

• Watching the salon she and Everett owned being destroyed in the 1978 Brookside fire on a Sunday morning and then, by Tuesday, having made arrangements to purchase a salon directly across the street, restocking with new supplies and contacting all of their customers in less than 48 hours.

• Experiencing the near-total-loss of their home in the mid-1990s when it caught fire during renovations, overseeing the recovery of their few salvageable belongings and working with Everett to rebuild.

Virginia’s esteemed career in Brookside came to an abrupt end when she slipped on ice while stepping out the front door one morning after a terrible winter storm to get the newspaper. Her fall resulted in a serious brain injury that led to many months of therapy and having to give up her job, which was a great heartache to her. And while many who experience head trauma develop personalities that exacerbate their worst qualities, it was exactly the opposite with Virginia. She became especially loving, caring and kind. For many years, she “enjoyed” the benefits of her head injury, taking advantage of the license it gave her to say outrageous things, always letting others know that they should excuse her because she “couldn’t help it.” It was during these years, after her forced retirement, that her interest in art was renewed, and she began painting ceramics. Her talent was obvious, and gifts of her pieces are treasured by many.

Eventually, her ability to paint was impacted by the development of tremors that were likely connected to early stage Alzheimer’s Disease. The awful impact of that illness was compounded in 2016 when she experienced a massive brain hemorrhage. In the nearly three years since that event, her health began a more rapid decline. Eventually, after a year of living at home with Everett and Lorie (who moved back to Kansas City from New York to help), caring for her became too difficult, and Virginia moved in to a full-time care facility to have access to the full-time support she required.

While she may have lost her ability to care for herself and talk, her feisty and proud personality was still often present. When family gathered with her, she easily let everyone know when she felt she was being ignored. And, as her snow-white hair grew out after her brain surgery, and she wore it long for the first time in her life, she took great pride in it. Up until her last afternoon, this past Saturday, when she experienced a TIA, she perked up and, once again, stroked her hair with affection.

Early on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 13, at age 80, she took leave of this world on her own terms, not waiting for family who were on their way to say goodbye — as if, upon hearing the hospice worker tell us to come right away, she didn’t want us to grieve with the memory of experiencing her last breaths.

To venerate and mourn her amazingly accomplished life, she leaves behind her much-beloved husband, Everett (Lenexa, Kan.); her son, Curtis Wayne Kellogg and his wife, Gayla (Overland Park, Kan.); daughter Gina Beth Kellogg and her husband Mark Werner (Overland Park); daughter Lorie Ann Kellogg (Lenexa); and grandson Cole Elliott Hogan (Mission, Kan.).

She was preceded in death by her mother Aleda Mae (Creason) Hott Boarman (d. 1988) and father Ira Charles “Charley” Benjamin Hott (d. 1995).

Family visitation will take place Thursday at 5 p.m. at Porter Funeral Home at 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, Kan., followed by a memorial service at 6. And while others may request that donations be made to worthy charities, Virginia loved flowers and will no doubt be looking forward to a field of beautiful blooms surrounding her memorial urn.