Obituary of Virginia H. Griffin

Virginia "Jinny" Hopson Griffin, 84, of 14 Owana Way, Lakewood, NY, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, in the UPMC Hamot Medical Center, Erie, PA. A lifelong area resident, she was born March 1, 1930 in Jamestown, NY a daughter of the late Wilson and Helen Kinsella Hopson. She spent her childhood in the Chautauqua Gorge, hiking and riding her pony. Jinny was a 1948 graduate of the Westfield Academy and Central School and LaSalle Junior College in Boston Mass. in 1950. She earned her Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia in 1953. In earlier years she was a school teacher for the Kenmore Public Schools and also for the Jamestown Public School System, working at the former Lillian Dickson Elementary School. Jinny was an active member of her community serving as a board member for the Ellicottville Ski Club, the Camp Onyshasa Advisory Board, the YMCA, the Jamestown Audubon Society and for Ceche. Jinny loved children and was passionate about the out of doors. For many years she was a docent for the children's program at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. She shared her passion for wildflowers through her work designing the wildflower display at the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage. She was also a member of the Jamestown Garden Club. She had a special gift for sharing her knowledge of the out of doors with children and everyone around her. Her children and her grandchildren all inherited her love of hiking, camping, canoeing and bird watching. She spent many winters skiing with her children and grandchildren but she did this just to be nice. Surviving are her husband of 60 years, George T. Griffin, Jr. whom she married August 21, 1954, two daughters, Martha (Steve Moore) Griffin of Boulder, CO, Priscilla (Dave) Menzies of Lakewood, NY, six loving grandchildren who will forever miss her, Erin Menzies, Allan Menzies, Griffin Menzies, Rio Moore, Andrew Moore, Lindsay Moore, she was passionately in love with all of them. Also surviving is her sister Priscilla Robbins of Lakewood. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her brother Thomas Hopson. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in Holy Apostles Parish at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. The Rev. Dennis W. Mende, pastor will be celebrant. Friends will be received from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Friday in the Lind Funeral Home where a Christian Wake Service will be led by Rev. Mende at 1:45 p.m. Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jamestown Audubon Society, 1600 Riverside Rd. Jamestown, NY 14701.