Virginia Currey

She was intelligent, kind, resourceful, loyal, compassionate and graceful, but above all Virginia H. Currey was a lady in every sense of the word.

Virginia, who was known by some as Jinnie, was born in Peru, Indiana on February 13, 1922. Her parents were Harvey Hawley, a lumber dealer, and Grace Emma (Armitage) Hawley, an educator. After a long and eventful lifetime of 94 years, Virginia passed away in her Granger, Indiana residence on December 6, 2016 following a four month illness.

After growing up in Peru and attending public elementary and high schools there, Virginia enrolled in the Indiana University School of Business in Bloomington from which she graduated cum laude in 1944, earning Beta Gamma Sigma honors. As a student she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, serving as president during her senior year. She also had membership in various campus honorary and extra-curricular organizations. In her senior year Virginia was the editor of the 1944 Arbutus, Indiana University’s yearbook. She was proud to receive from the university formal recognition and an award for being the outstanding female student that year. Because of her academic and extra-curricular accomplishments, Virginia was listed in the 1944 edition of Who’s Who in American Colleges.

It was during her sophomore year in 1942 that Virginia met her future husband, Robert S. Currey, on a blind date. They were married in Peru on September 4, 1948 after Bob returned from overseas service with the US Army. He still had a year to complete his Law School education, so the couple lived in Bloomington until 1949 when they moved to Mishawaka, Indiana where Bob opened a law office and Virginia took employment as a secretary at Uniroyal. This employment lasted until 1954 when Virginia had her first child. Thereafter she remained a full time mother and homemaker until her children had both entered college. She then returned to Uniroyal for a few years before retiring permanently. In 2003 Virginia and Bob moved to Granger.

Virginia took an active part in community affairs. She was one of the founders of the Beiger Heritage Association and took an important role in the first few years of the Council for the Retarded of St. Joseph County, Inc. (now Logan Center). Her memberships included PEO, Tri Kappa Sorority and Junior League. She served on the Board of Family and Children’s Services and volunteered for the United Fund (now United Way). In the 1970s she played an important role in the establishment of the Mishawaka/Shiojiri Sister City relationship. Her mother had been a member of the School Board in Peru and Virginia followed in her footsteps by serving on the School Board of the School City of Mishawaka for fifteen years. Her son, Richard, continues this tradition by also serving on the School Board. She was especially proud to be able to serve her community in this activity.

Virginia and Bob traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. Some of the highlights of the trips included mountain climbing in Italy, whitewater rafting in North Carolina, transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2 and many more. One particularly special occasion was attendance at a garden party hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in 1957.

Virginia Currey was a kind and compassionate woman. She gave her time and energy by serving as a hospital volunteer. In recent years she made four trips to Mexico as a worker on Lions Club missions to fit and distribute eye glasses to the poor. She loved animals and at one time had three cats and two dogs as pets. She was an avid reader, especially enjoying westerns and historical novels…particularly of the English women in the late Middle Ages. She also enjoyed flower gardening, visits to museums and theatergoing. She was especially fond of musical comedies. All of these activities were important to Virginia, but most important was her love for her family.

Virginia’s surviving family includes her husband of 68 years, Bob; her son, Richard (Chris) Currey of Mishawaka; her daughter, Carolyn (Carl) Howe of Stow, Massachusetts; four grandchildren, Laura (Ryan) Cheri, Blair Currey, Robert Howe and David Howe. Virginia especially delighted in the recent addition of a great granddaughter, Lilly Cheri. She also has two nieces, Kimberly Cooper and Lynn Grainger. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and by her brother, John (Emmajean) Hawley.

Virginia possessed a strong faith which carried her through her recent illness. She was a member of Coalbush United Methodist Church where her funeral service will be held Sunday, December 11 at 3:30 pm with Rev. Amber Karkosky-Litten officiating. Cremation will follow.

Friends may visit and spend time with Virginia’s family on Saturday, December 10, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm in Goethals & Wells Funeral Home, 503 W. 3rd Street, Mishawaka.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested by contribution to the South Bend Civic Theatre or Center for Hospice Care. Assistance with memorials is available at the funeral home.

Virginia H. Currey was a great lady. There will never be another like her.