Virginia M. ‘Ginger’ Vahle of Lenox died Friday, May 24, 2024, surrounded by her family. Ginger was born in North Adams on June 9, 1932, the daughter of the late Gerald and Virginia McDonough Sullivan. She was a graduate of St. Joseph High School (North Adams) in 1949 and Bliss Business School (North Adams). She was employed by the North Adams Transcript in the Business Office and later as secretary to the superintendent of Lenox Public Schools.
Ginger is survived by her husband Francis, whom she married on May 30, 1956, at St. Francis Church in North Adams. Other survivors include her daughters, Mary Ellen Rennie (Gregg) of Madison, Conn., Kathleen Harrison (Brian) of West Newbury, Mass., Virginia Goggins (Thomas) of Pittsfield, and Margaret Colwell (Kevin) of Mechanicsville, Va.; her sons, Francis Jr. (Tabitha) of Lenox and Paul (Edwina) of Birmingham, Ala.; her brother William Sullivan (Elizabeth) of California; 14 grandchildren, Matthew (Jennifer) Rennie, Daniel Rennie, Meghan (Thomas) Harrington, Peter (Maya) Vahle, Kristopher Vahle, Kallan (Erich) Yee, Connor (Amanda) Harrison, Elizabeth (David) Aitoro, Timothy (Bridget) Goggins, Virginia (Max) Roehmholdt, Nora Colwell, Sean (Alicia) Colwell, William Vahle, and Ansel Vahle; and six great-grandchildren, Thomas and Anthony Aitoro, Cameron and Harriet Yee, William Harrison, and Otto Roehmholdt (with a seventh, baby Harrington, due in July). She was predeceased by her brother Gerald Jr. and sister Mary Claire Walden.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ann Church on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 10 a.m., by the Rev. Monsignor John J. Bonzagni, Pastor. Burial will follow in St. Ann Cemetery. Calling hours will be held Friday, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Roche Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations in Ginger’s memory may be made to either St. Vincent de Paul Church in Lenox Dale or St. Ann Church in care of the funeral home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, MA 01240.
“Thine own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Luke 2:35)
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