Virginia Merges Kletzer, nee Margaret Virginia Merges, was born in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, in 1887. In 1900, her family relocated to Portland, Oregon. In 1906, she graduated from the Portland Academy, then worked as the school’s secretary and librarian. In 1911, she and William Kletzer were married; they later had three children. After her marriage, she left the workforce. Later in life, she volunteered her time to multiple organizations. From 1933 to 1937, she served as president of the Parent Teacher Association, and was active in that organization’s campaign for school lunch standards. During World War II, she was involved with the Commission for Children in Wartime and was a member of the national advisory committee on child labor for the U.S. Children’s Bureau. From 1948 to 1958, she served as the executive secretary of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society; she then continued to serve on the organization's boards and executive committees. She also served on the boards of the Volunteers of America, the Portland Federation of Women’s Organizations, the Tri-County Day Care Committee, and the Portland Council of Girl Scouts, among several others. She received numerous awards from several of the organizations she volunteered with. She died in 1982.