GREENWOOD: Ella Virginia Stillman Hunt (Ginny), 89, passed away peacefully on 31 May 2017, surrounded by her devoted family.
Ginny, a longtime resident of Greenwood, NY, was preceded in death by her husband, John Van Allen III, son Jeffrey, sister Roberta “Bobbi” Conway, and brothers Eugene and Albert “Jack”. She is survived by eight of her children: Sharon (Larry) Woodworth of Mt. Morris; NY, John Van Allen IV (Sandi) of Valdosta, GA; Terry (Merry) of Wheaton, IL; Steve (Glenda) of Greenwood, NY; Tim (Katie) of Brighton, NY; Greg of Syracuse, NY; Susie (Ted) Turan of Stanley, NY; and Sandy of Danbury, CT; brother Pierre (Karen) Stillman of Villages, FL; 19 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, too many special friends to list, and her beloved pup “Red”.
Born on 8 November 1927, in Alfred, NY, to Albert Clark Stillman and Roberta J. Flynn. Ginny spent her early years in Salem, WV and her young adult life in Hornell, NY, where she graduated from high school in 1946 and met the love of her life, John. They were later married in 1947 and spent their early years together in Hornell, Olean, and Hinsdale, finally settling in Greenwood, NY, where they spent the next 60+ years. In addition to raising her family, Ginny was employed by the US Post Office as the Postmistress, was active with the United Methodist Church, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, the Order of Eastern Stars, the American Legion Woman’s Auxiliary, Greenwood Reading Center, Steuben County Hospice, and the Greenwood Central School. She spent 20+ years supporting her children through their school life and attending virtually every band concert, parade, soccer game, basketball game, baseball game, track meet, and play that her children participated. Her work at the post office and her life as a dedicated mother shared the same mantra “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night’ kept her from the events her children participated in, or from performing her post master duties.
Ginny’s legacy will continue in the lives she touched and by the experiences that she shared. She knew how to make each of her children, the in-laws, the grandchildren, the great grandchildren, and all the lives she touched feel like they were special and the one and only. She had a way of listening and being supportive coupled with a keen sense of humor. Ginny made Christmas an extra special time of year, as well as summers at Waneta Lake, Saturday morning bread and sticky bun baking, Sunday roast beef dinners, homemade ice cream and soups on weekends, and of course her infamous chocolate chip cookies. If Ginny had a vice, it would be her life-long love for a cold glass of Coca-Cola.
Please carry Virginia’s legacy forward and be the best person you can be, and make all people you come in touch with feel special and like they are the one and only.
The family of Virginia Hunt will receive friends from 5-8 PM, Saturday, 3 June at the H.P. Smith & Son Inc. Funeral Home, 29 East Main Street, Canisteo, NY. A funeral Service will take place at 2PM, Sunday, 4 June at the United Methodist Church, Greenwood, NY, followed by interment at the Greenwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Virginia Hunt’s name may be made to the Greenwood United Methodist Church, the Greenwood Cemetery Association, or the Greenwood Historical Society, and directed to 4003 Fenton Avenue, Greenwood, NY 14839.
Online condolences and memories may be made through hpsmithandsonfuneralhome.com.
