Virginia Smith

Virginia Smith of Ellenville, NY, died Thursday, June 19, 2014 at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center.  She was 96 years old. Virginia was born on February 14, 1918, in Syracuse, NY, the second of 4 children of Harry and Pauline (Douglass) Seager.

Virginia graduated from Becker School of Business in Massachusetts. She completed their three-year business course in two years and began working immediately, in order to help the family during those Depression years. In her middle years, she purchased an RV and conducted a mobile bookkeeping service for more than 20 years, traveling to clients throughout New York and New Jersey.

She moved to Ellenville 34 years ago and began working for Ellenville Regional Hospital. In her 17 years at the hospital, she rose through the positions of Executive Secretary, Office Manager, Director of Volunteers and Public Relations. She served on the 4^th of July committee in Ellenville and attended the Ulster Heights United Methodist Church.  

Virginia is survived by her daughters: Janet Colburn of Ellenville, Nancy D. Colburn of San Diego, CA, and L. Virginia Colburn of Oak Ridge, TN; her sister, Thelma Coghlin of Michigan; her grandsons, Brian and Russ Newman and Chris Haidri; and her great-granddaughter Kathryn Virginia Kolar. Also surviving are a dozen nieces and nephews.

Virginia was predeceased by her husbands, Franklin K. Bahrs and Jubal “Smitty” Smith Jr., as well as her brother, Harry Seager, Jr. and her sister, Frances Hodgkins.

The family will be receiving friends on Thursday, June 26^th from 2-4 and 6-8PM at Loucks Funeral Home, 79 North Main St., Ellenville. A celebration of her life will be held Friday, June 27^th at 10AM at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Fantinekill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Virginia requested that donations be made to Eleventh Hour Rescue, an active no-kill shelter from which some of her children and grandchildren have adopted rescued dogs. The address is 11^th Hour Rescue, PO Box 218, Rockaway, NJ 07866.