Virginia Elizabeth “Ginnie” Skelton, 88 of Batavia passed away on September 14th at Crossroads House in Batavia surrounded by the love of her family.
Virginia was born in Varick, New York on November 4, 1934, the daughter of the late Kenneth L. and Esther E. (Landis) Jennings.
Virginia spent her early childhood in Varick and the surrounding area until her father took a transfer as a corrections officer from Auburn to Attica. She graduated from Attica High School in 1952, and from Brockport State Teachers College, part of the SUNY system, in 1956. Virginia began teaching in Corfu, New York during the 1956-1957 school year. A New Year’s Eve party in December 1956 introduced her to Ken; they were married in April 1957; lived in Batavia, Elba, and Oakfield and settled in the Town of Batavia to raise their children. Virginia taught full time until their fourth child was born in 1963 and restarted her teaching career as a substitute in Oakfield-Alabama, Elba, and Pembroke schools after their sixth child began school in 1973. In 1990, she and Ken moved to Chiefland, Florida where she worked a few years as an administrative assistant at their son’s farm, Levy County Dairy. They lived in Chiefland for nearly thirty years before moving back to New York in 2019 when Virginia lived at the Manor House in Batavia and Evergreen Place in Brockport before the Crossroads House. Virginia’s hobbies over the years included league bowling in Batavia and Chiefland, including an episode on “Strikes, Spares and Misses;” sewing mostly clothes for her daughters and a variety of Halloween costumes over many years, knitting and crocheting countless comforters, afghans, and baby blankets; and frequent coffee clutches with friends. Virginia took pride in hosting and cooking for holiday meals and reunions with extended family.
Survivors include her children Raymond of Williamston, Michigan, Ronald (Carolyn) of Williston, Florida, Leanne (Marlene) of Denver, North Carolina, Lynette (Paul) of Batavia, Jeffrey (Teresa) of Millstone Township, New Jersey, and Paul of Cranford, New Jersey; twelve grandchildren Mackenzie (Kyle) Skelton, Yvonne (Dustin) Skelton-Jones, Jennifer (Tanmay) Skelton, Andrew, Erica, and Stephanie Esten, Kenneth, Timothy, Christopher and Ella Skelton, and Joshua and Daniel Skelton; great-grandson Liam Esten and great-granddaughter Kamryn Esten; her sister Shirley Jennings and sister-in-law Susan Jennings, both of Attica, New York, and dozens of nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Kenneth D. Skelton in 2019, daughter-in-law, Angela of Cranford, New Jersey, brothers Donald and Kenneth, and sister Sharron Lapp.
Family and friends are invited to call on October 13, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street in Batavia. Virginia's Memorial Service will immediately follow visitation at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Attica.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Crossroads House, PO Box 403, Batavia, New York 14021. Please leave a condolence, share a story, or light a candle at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
