Virginia Claire Anderson

Virginia “Ginny” Anderson of Wilmette passed away after a brief illness on January 18, 2021, at Evanston Hospital with family at her bedside. Daughter of the late Clarence William Anderson and Virginia Anderson, she is survived by her brother Bob (Taimi Anderson), her nephews Mike (Lee Bascom), Jeff (Melissa Anderson) and David (Jenny Snider) and 6 great nieces and nephews. She adored her family and will be missed.

Ginny grew up in Kenilworth attending Joseph Sears Elementary (Class of ’59). After attending New Trier Township High School, she went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. She later earned a Master’s of Education in Counseling from Loyola University in 1975.

Her career in social work began working at Northwestern Hospital holding a variety of roles in outpatient psychiatry. After finishing her master’s degree she focused more on prevention and took her skills to manage and direct various programs at the Winfield Moody Near North Health Center serving the Cabrini Green community on the north side of Chicago. Ginny moved to Wilmette in the 90’s and became Executive Director Links Youth Health Center in Northfield counseling youth on the North Shore for many years. Later she left social work, making a career change that followed her passion for Chicago area history, working at the Kenilworth Historical Society where she served as Executive Director. She also taught at DePaul University as an adjunct professor for several semesters.

In her free time Ginny was devoted to many her interests and hobbies, chief among these was jewelry making. She specialized in beautifully made necklaces and bracelets with large, colorful beads, gems and stones which she collected while traveling. Friends and family received many of her creations as gifts over the years. In the 1980’s she opened Material Matters, a fabric shop and haute couture boutique, fulfilling a dream being an owner of a fabrics and fashion store. She also enjoyed making other crafts, reading mysteries and cooking dinners for family gatherings. She traveled throughout the US and extensively abroad during her lifetime visiting family and friends or taking in local culture and sites.

Ginny enjoyed the woods and nature spending summers during her youth up in the Great North Woods at her family’s summer home on Lake Pokegoma in Minong, Wisconsin. Later she bought and restored a streamside cabin in southwestern Michigan where she spent time relaxing with friends, blueberry or apple picking or antique hunting in the many shops off the Red Arrow Highway.

She also volunteered at the Kenilworth Historical society serving on the board and also was recruited by some friends into PEO, a women’s organization focusing on education opportunities for women.

Ginny will be missed by her family and her many friends. She was a very special aunt to her nephews Mike, Jeff and David sharing herself with them and was an important part of their lives. She adored and was adored by her friends whom she developed great relationships with over many decades.

The family will have a private internment and plan a life celebration to remember Ginny at a later time when it is safer for everyone to gather.