Virginia Ellard White of North Quincy, Mass. passed away peacefully at home on November 6, surrounded by her loving family.

            Virginia “Ginnie” Molloy was born in Quincy on December 18, 1926 in a doctor’s office at 644 Hancock Street, which is now the Lydon Chapel for funerals, thus affording her one of her most famous quips, “I was born in a funeral home.”  She was the third and last child of William E. Molloy Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Ellard) Molloy. She had an older sister Mary and an older brother William.

            Ginnie’s father was a stock broker and the family enjoyed a comfortable life in Milton until the stock market crash of 1929 left the family penniless. After losing their home, the Molloys moved to humble quarters in Dorchester at the height of the Great Depression of the 1930s.  Despite poverty and oft-times hunger, because of the support of friends, neighbors and the Church, Ginnie had a happy childhood. Although poor in material things, the Molloys were rich in familial love and friendships.

            Virginia attended St. Mark’s School and then, in September of 1941, she entered Dorchester High School for Girls. Her entire high school experience was when the world was at war.

After high school, Virginia worked as a secretary at a plant that made military parts for the war effort.  She continued working there for more than eight years, up until the birth of her first child.

Ginnie married the love of her life, Clayton E. White on January 28, 1951. She first met Clayton at the age of 16 when she worked as a candy girl at the Adams Theater in Dorchester where Clayton was the projectionist. Five years later, after the war, they met by chance on the trolley, leading to a fine romance and marriage that lasted more than 60 years.

Although born in Quincy, Ginnie was a Boston girl at heart, and never ceased to sing the praises of her Dorchester upbringing. She and her husband raised their six children in Roslindale and exposed them to the rich culture of Boston, the “Athens of America.”  Ginnie thoroughly enjoyed her role as wife and mother. She considered it her “calling.”

In August of 1965, at the age of only 38 and with six small children, Ginnie suffered a stroke which left her right side paralyzed and she was unable to speak. She made a complete recovery with no therapy, “Just determination and a deal with the Almighty that if I recovered, I’d be the very best mother, wife, daughter and sister I could be.”

During her husband’s retirement, Ginnie embarked on an idyllic period of her life, enjoying more than 30 ocean cruises with her beloved Clayton. She also cherished time spent with her children, grandchildren, and in recent years, her great-grandchildren.

A tireless volunteer at nursing homes, a wonderful seamstress, an avid reader, a family historian, a movie buff, a treasure-trove of nostalgic trivia - Ginnie was loved by all who knew her, and imparted her wisdom to her children and grandchildren. She loved to sing and had a lovely voice reminiscent of her favorite songstress, Rosemary Clooney. Ginnie would often burst into song around the house, and she knew the words to “just about every old song ever written.”

Virginia was pre-deceased by her cherished husband Clayton in 2011, and her beloved granddaughter Christina Ann Lee in 2013.

Virginia is survived by her daughters Mary Lou Kirshon of North Quincy, Janet V. Robinson of Lee Maine, Christine M. White of East Bridgewater and Patricia A. Hayes of North Quincy, and her sons Thomas E. White of Middleboro and Edward A. White of Dedham; along with 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

She also leaves a niece, Kathleen McCloskey of Fitchburg and a nephew, William Molloy of Fall River, along with many nieces and nephews by marriage.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, November 12 at 10:30 am in the Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, Quincy.  Visiting hours are Wednesday from 4 – 8 pm in the Lydon Chapel for Funerals, 644 Hancock Street, Quincy - Mrs. White’s birthplace – because, she was known to say with characteristic Irish wit, “I came into the world through that house, and I’m leaving through there.”

Mrs. White will be buried next to her husband in the Bourne National Cemetery. 

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