Virginia Britton, 91, passed away on Nov. 19 with her family by her side at St. Andrews Village in Boothbay Harbor. She was born in Illinois on Aug. 18, 1923 and grew up in the Midwest. She lived in New England most of her adult life, 33 years in Ipswich, Mass.
Ginny was a unique individual, a true feminist. Although she married young and did not have the opportunity for a formal higher education, she was extremely intelligent and always interested in learning on her own. She was a voracious reader in any and all subjects. She loved the outdoors and never missed a day of walking, bicycling, hiking, swimming at the beach, or playing tennis. Into her late 80s she was building stone walls, doing heavy yard work, shoveling her driveway, and even painting the outside of her house. She always got up at 4 a.m. and had done more by 10 a.m. than most people do in a whole day.
Ginny traveled extensively, especially enjoying the Middle East. She was teased by her family and friends that she feared driving her car to town but would go by herself on a journey to Uzbekistan or Iran. Turkey was her favorite country.
Ginny was a loner but still volunteered all her life, including translating books into Braille, working at the polls on voting days, and making over 500 walker bags for a home care agency. Her favorite job in recent years was sorting the books donated to the used bookstore in Boothbay – in the winter she often had to wear her wool hat and mittens to survive the cold back room, but it didn’t stop her. She lived a simple life but always donated as much as she could to those less fortunate than she.
Ginny was a master seamstress with a home business making clothing from winter coats to wedding gowns. She designed and created beautiful hooked rugs, hand stitched quilts, and knitted hundreds of sweaters for her family. She never rested her body or her mind.
Ginny was predeceased by her husband of 44 years, Thomas Britton; and by siblings, Patricia Kelley Nesbitt, Edgar Kelley, and Charles Kelley.
She is survived by daughters, Kelley Garry of Hampstead, N.H. and life partner Michael Shea of Georgetown, Mass., and Brigit Britton and husband Eric Traphagen of Boothbay; granddaughters, Rebecca Garry of Amesbury, Mass., and Amanda Garry of Glastonbury, Conn.; sister, Mary (Betsy) Freeman of Tryon, N.C.; and many nieces and nephews. Barney, her cat, who saw her through thick and thin, will miss her terribly.
A family gathering will occur at a later date to celebrate Ginny’s life.
You are invited to share your condolences, or memories with the family at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Hall’s of Boothbay, 975 Wiscasset Rd., is caring for the family.
