Obituary of Virginia W. Mills

Virginia Ward "Ginnie" Mills, 80, noted artist and art educator, of Schenectady, NY died on October 26. Ginnie was an active member of the cultural communities of the capital district of New York, and outer Cape Cod, particularly in art and theater. She was very devoted to and proud of her family, who frequently visited her and she them. Mrs. Mills was born on October 7, 1930 in Jamaica, NY to Oliver and Helen (Watson) Ward. She lived and attended school in Hollis, NY on Long Island as a young girl, before her family moved to Towson, MD, where she graduated from high school in 1947. Ginnie had a talent for art from an early age, and traveled to the Baltimore museums for Saturday art classes. She studied at Syracuse University, earning a BA in art in 1951, and NYS Teaching Certificate in 1952. It was there Ginnie met her husband, Ernest Andrew "Drew" Mills. They were married in 1951, and raised three children in Schenectady. Ginnie loved teaching elementary art. She taught briefly in the schools of Bel Air, MD, and Waterloo and Elmira, NY before teaching many years in the Niskayuna schools, especially Birchwood, where she earned a state Teacher of the Year Award. Ginnie was very active in numerous organizations. She was a member of and exhibited frequently with the Oak Room Artists since the 1960s. She designed and painted sets, directed, produced and occasionally performed in Schenectady Light Opera Company productions. She was a regional representative for American Field Service in the 1970s and 1980s, and served as juror with Drew for the International Children's Art and Scholastic exhibitions. Drew and Ginnie bought a home on outer Cape Cod in the early 1980s. In addition to entertaining family and friends, they added a studio and exhibited there. Her fine Cape paintings, which sometimes evoked Hopper and Porter, flourished, as did their friendships with people in the neighborhood community. She exhibited throughout New York State, including the inaugural two-person exhibition at the Schenectady Museum in 1969. She also exhibited often on Cape Cod, at venues including the Provincetown and Cape Cod Art Associations, and their studio in Wellfleet. Ginnie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and very recently, great-grandmother. She was a counselor and director at Adirondack Woodcraft Camps in Old Forge, NY in the 1950s, was involved with the Christian Children's Fund for 40 years, contributing to the well-being of many children in India. Preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Andrew, she is survived by son Peter and wife Elizabeth of Bow, NH and their children Nicole and husband Greg Michaud (Longwood, FL) and their son Ryder, Rebecka (Brighton, MA) and Diedre (Brighton, MA); son Daniel and wife Gail of Lewiston, ME and their children Tyler (Chicago, IL), Corey (Buffalo, NY) and Abigail (Baltimore, MD); daughter Martha and husband Daniel Burns of Manlius, NY and children Daniel, Steven and Patrick. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Virginia Ward Mills Scholarship Fund, Oakroom Artists, c/o Karen Rosasco, 225 School Dr., Delanson, NY 12053.