Virginia Willard Baer, 89, of Old Wethersfield, daughter of the late Howard A. and Virginia (Miller) Willard of Old Wethersfield, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at Hartford Hospital after a brief illness.
Born on November 26, 1930, she grew up in Old Wethersfield and West Hartford, CT. She was a graduate of William H. Hall High School in West Hartford and earned her B.A. at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. Following her graduation, she worked as an engineering aide for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, CT and later as a contract writer for Connecticut General Life Insurance Company in Bloomfield, CT. Ginne was an avid pilot, learning to fly at age 15, earning her Private Pilot’s license at 17, and was President of the Mount Holyoke College Flying Club. She also enjoyed boating and met the love of her life, Donald J. Bear, on a windjammer cruise in Maine. Ginne and Don shared a love of animals, flying, boating, antiques and spending time with family. At the time of Don’s death in 2006, they had been married for 47 years.
In addition to her parents and husband, Ginne was predeceased by her brothers: John B. Willard, and his wife Catherine C. Willard, Palmer S. Willard, and his wife Jean G. Willard, and William L. Willard; as well as her sister, Parmelia W. de Winter; and sister-in-law Margaret L. Willard. She is survived by her sister, Martha W. de Richemont of London, England, her brother, Howard A. Willard Jr., of Old Wethersfield, CT, her sister-in-law Barbara Willard, and a host of nieces and nephews and their spouses, great-nieces and -nephews, and extended family members and friends. A private burial will be held in the family plot at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford. Funeral services have been entrusted to the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel. The family will gather to honor and celebrate Ginne’s life at a later date. Donations in Ginne’s memory may be made to the First Church of Christ, 250 Main Street, Wethersfield (http://www.firstchurch.org/). For online expressions of sympathy to the family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.
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