Virginia L. Wardner

Holland Patent, NY

Virginia L Wardner, 86, of Holland Patent, a native of Bleecker, Fulton County, New York passed away on Sunday, August 1, 2022 at home , surrounded by her family following a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Virginia was born on Monday, November 25, 1935 at home in Bleecker, New York, the daughter of Ralph and Emma Ort Winnie. She was a 1955 graduate of Gloversville High School and enjoyed attending class reunions. She met Edward A Wardner of Dolgeville at a dance at Pine Lake Dance Hall and they were married on June 20, 1959 at Bleecker Community Church, followed by a honeymoon to Niagara Falls and Bracebridge, Ontario Canada. She was a member of the Bleecker Community Church and formerly of the Stittville-Floyd Methodist Church, where she enjoyed helping put on United States and international themed dinners. Virginia and Edward were members of the 100 Club dance club for many years.

Prior to her marriage, Virginia was employed by Robison & Smith and Kaplan Glove Company in Gloversville. Following her marriage, she was an employee of GE on French Road, serving dinners for middle and upper management employees.

Following in the footsteps of her sister Almeda Winnie Brown, Virginia was a 4-H leader in Fulton County prior to her marriage, and continued on as a 4-H leader in Oneida County, teaching many children, including daughter Brenda, granddaughter Brittany and grandson Christopher sewing, cooking and crafts for 41 years. Virginia was designated a sewing expert by Cornell Cooperative Extension and taught many sewing classes throughout Oneida County on such topics as Adaptive Clothing for Individuals with Disabilities, basic sewing techniques and alterations.

Always a civic-minded individual, Virginia was proud to serve as Village Clerk for the Village of Holland Patent for 30 years and enjoyed attending the New York Conference of Mayors and Village Officials at their fall workshops in the Catskills, Saratoga and Lake Placid with husband Edward, Village Treasurer, retiring on March 31, 2022. Through the years while raising her children Brenda and Lawrence, Virginia served as room mother, was active in the HP Elementary PTA and was a member of the HPCS Committee for the Handicapped.

Virginia enjoyed sewing, crafts, growing daffodils, listening to country music, watching Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and Lawrence Welk, attending concerts at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and camping at Piseco Lake and Lancaster County Amish Country and spending relaxing weekends at her camp on Bleecker Mountain. She enjoyed vacationing in Rye Beach, NH, Cape Cod, Orlando, Myrtle Beach, Branson and Nashville where she enjoyed attending Fan Fare and meeting country music legends. She was a contemporary and fan of Elvis Presley growing up as a teenager in the 1950s.

Virginia is survived by husband Edward and son Lawrence at home, daughter Brenda of Barneveld, granddaughter Brittany Nesbitt of Kittery, ME, grandson Christopher Shepherd and his wife Olivia of metropolitan Salt Lake City, Utah, cousin Betty Lesser Younglove of Johnstown, NY, cousin Percy Daniels of Bleecker, NY, and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

 She was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Emma Ort Winnie, her father and mother- in law, Cassius and Heln Edwards Wardner,  Aunt Ruth Winnie Lesser (Merton), Uncle Martin Ort, siblings and their spouses Almeda Brown (Lewis), Florence Brown (Lewis), Doris Fisher (Raymond), infant brother Clarence Winnie and Harold Winnie (Ann), nephews Robert and Lewis Brown, cousins- in- law Domiano and Lois Ann Ward Contino , brother-in-law Arthur Wardner (Ethelea) , sister-in-law Lois Wardner Wonders(Donald) and special friend Mary Pavelich. She was predeceased by beloved dog Daisy and cats Snickers, Tiger and Sylvester.

Her family would like to thank COCVAC ambulance, Hospice and Palliative Care of Oneida County, Dr. Desai, Korinn Chaffee RN Unit manager and the nursing staff of the Oncology Unit of St. Luke’s Hospital, especially Demetrius Warren, for excellent care during her stay and the EMTs of the Holland Patent Hose Company for her end of life care. The family would also like to extend their gratitude to Nancy Furlong, RN for administering Virginia’s B-12 injections at home, the Furlong, Duheme and Mann families for gifts of food, Eleanor Brooks of the Bleecker Community Church for assistance with arrangements and to the many family members, neighbors and friends for their kind expressions of sympathy at this difficult time.

Visiting hours will be at Dimbleby Funeral Home 7944 Steuben St in Holland Patent on Sunday, August 7, 2022 from 2-4, followed by a memorial service officiated by Pastor Robbin Harris. A church service will be observed at the Bleecker Community Church on Monday, August 8, 2022 at 12 noon officiated by Reverend Kathy Reece, followed by a graveside service and burial at Bleecker Center Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to join the family at the Bleecker Fish & Game Club for a lunch reception following the services at the cemetery.

 In Virginia’s memory, in lieu of flowers, family and friends may consider donations to the Holland Patent Hose Company, P.O. Box 12, Holland Patent, NY 13354 or a charity of their choice.

For online expressions of sympathy please go to www.dimblebyfh.com