Virginia (Ginny) was born in New York City on May 26, 1928. She spent her early years in New York and Pennsylvania. When she was four years old, the family moved to California.
For high school Ginny attended the Bishop School, a residential school for girls, from 1942 until 1946. There she was called “Shorty” because of her short stature and known for her frankness and humor. She graduated from Scripps College in 1950 with a major in child psychology. In her senior year at college, she learned about teaching opportunities in Hawaii and applied. She came to Hawaii and stayed for the rest of her life.
Always a kindergarten teacher, she taught on Lanai for four years, in Hilo on the Big Island for one year, and for 30 years on Oahu, mostly at Jefferson Elementary School in Waikiki, until her retirement in 1985. Summers were spent at the University of Hawaii in Manoa to get her teaching credentials.
Ginny began attending Honolulu Friends Meeting at the home of Ann Satterwaite and then at the YWCA in Honolulu. She knew many of the founding members and was present when the Meetinghouse was acquired in 1957. During her long relationship with the Meeting, she was a member of just about every committee and ran the thrift shop for several years. She saw Honolulu Meeting through good and difficult times, sitting in her special chair.
In 1989, Ginny joined the Hawaii Coalition Against Legalized Gambling and was an active participant for many years. Ginny loved music and dancing. She took lessons in hula, Filipino, East Indian, folk and modern dancing and was a member of the Hawaii Ukulele International Club. In her later years she took up walking. She covered most of the neighborhoods on Oahu, followed by friends who had difficulty keeping up with her. During retreats she was an avid ping pong player. In between all these activities at home, she traveled widely with friends and enjoyed reading about other cultures. She loved animals and had many kittens.
As Ginny’s memory began to fail, she received help at home from friends and professionals. Then she moved to Manoa Senior Care where she was lovingly cared for until she passed away on May 15, 2021. We at Honolulu Friends Meeting are left with many fond memories of Ginny’s humor, generosity, and faithfulness.