Virginia Inness-Brown Conn, 84, of East Boothbay, died peacefully at home on Oct. 17.
Mrs. Conn, born Jan. 28, 1927 in Plandome, Long Island, N. Y., was the daughter of Hugh Alwyn Inness-Brown and Virginia Portia (Royall) Inness-Brown, formerly of New York City and East Boothbay.
She was educated at Warrenton Country Day School in Warrenton, Va., and Smith College.
She married Robert Henry Conn on July 6, 1946. Thus began a long and colorful career as a Navy wife and writer.
While raising five children, Mrs. Conn was a reporter, columnist and editor for several newspapers and magazines.
She retired on Dec. 30, 1989, first to the home she and Bob built in Kilmarnock, Va., and then to her childhood home (Ocean Harbor) on Little River in East Boothbay in 1999.
In Kilmarnock, she served on the board of The Lancaster Community Library, started the Northern Neck recycling program and the Dividing Creek Association, an environmental watch group.
Locally, she was known for her entertaining correspondent columns for the Boothbay Register, serving as a weekly columnist for both the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club as well as for East Boothbay. She was an active volunteer for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay Region Land Trust and served on the Board of Trustees of the Boothbay Region YMCA and the Congregational Church. She enjoyed writing, sailing, bridge, cooking, reading, photography and, most of all, a good party.
Mrs. Conn is survived by her husband of 65 years, The Honorable Robert H. Conn; their five children, The Rev. Portia Royall Hirschman (and husband Rick) of Monrovia, Md., Judith Virginia Goodnow (and husband Michael Bujnowski) of Bow, N.H., Robert H. Conn, Jr. (and wife Lisa) of West Boothbay Harbor, Patricia Inness Conn Royall of Richmond, and Catherine Elizabeth Conn of East Boothbay; ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; aunt and childhood friend Louise Royall of East Boothbay, as well as her beloved yellow lab, Lily.
Memorial service 4 p.m., Fri., Oct. 21 at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to Boothbay Region YMCA, P.O. Box 500, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.
You are invited to share your condolences, photos and memories with the Conn family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are under the care of Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, Boothbay.
