Hamilton Wright
My relationship with Virginia began when I still had my video business, and I loved to do public service work whenever possible. I met a woman, Eileen Szychowski, a quadriplegic, who had started a therapeutic riding course for physically handicapped individuals and dreamed of having her own place to teach more students. There was a fourteen-and-a-half-acre piece of land called Camelot Ranch on Jomax Road that she wanted to buy for her place. I'd made a little video about her to help with fundraising, and since I knew Virginia, I asked if she'd be interested in seeing the video. Virginia found it interesting, so I invited her to have lunch with Eileen and me. This was in 1993 or 1994.

Eileen was late for lunch, and when she finally arrived, there was a great blue macaw perched on her shoulder. Virginia was absolutely captivated by the bird, which Eileen had placed on Virginia's arm and then on the perch she'd brought for it while we had our lunch. Virginia just couldn't get over the bird's good manners. Also, my wife Jane and I had a golden retriever named Nellie, an extremely well-trained, mellow retriever. So between the macaw and Nellie, Virginia said, "You know, I don't often meet animals so well-behaved. I have a couple of cats, plus some strays I've taken in, and they're good, but they just have the run of the house." After that lunch, Virginia made a contribution to Camelot Ranch, enabling Eileen to buy the land she needed.

Later, when Jane and I were living in Colorado, I wrote to Virginia, thanking her for the gift to Camelot, and she wrote back, asking me to say hello for her to our lovely golden retriever, Nellie. Okay, Nellie, I thought. You've been recognized by Virginia; you should be writing back. So we began sending letters to Virginia from Nellie, signed "Your obedient friend, Nellie" with a paw print. Virginia would write back, telling Nellie how she had been and how her cats were behaving. These letters went back and forth for quite a while, and Paul Critchfield later shared with me how much Virginia had enjoyed her correspondence with Nellie and how she would read the letters aloud to the rest of the family. Virginia's tremendous appreciation for and love of animals and allowing herself a little silliness was just heartwarming.

Gladys Leach
I knew Virginia before 1940. We were both born in 1911. I became Gin's hairstylist and confidante, long before Paul passed away.

When I had my shop in Milwaukee, Virginia, her sister, Carol, and Charlotte Pollari used to take the train up to have their hair done. Then Virginia would take us out to Frenchie's for lunch, a very exclusive place that had the best lobster salad.

Virginia didn't worry us about her losses; she put that in God's hands. That's how I think she managed so well.

Virginia is the most beautiful woman I've ever met. The men liked her, the girls liked her,everyone loved her,and I loved to watch how she would always make people feel so wonderful.

Elaine Jacobs
Virginia enriched my life. She was beautiful inside as well as out.

Virginia was an inspiration. She had the most beautiful way of writing and saying things. I still treasure her notes. She reached out all the time and had so many interests but so little staffing. She did everything herself. She was a special lady,elegant and generous.

Dr. Jim Dearing
I was twenty-five years old when I first met Virginia in 1975. I was working at Scottsdale Osborn Memorial ER. Her husband, Ken, had just passed away. He had died of a heart attack in their kitchen, and Virginia hadn't known what to do. It frustrated her, so she decided to take a CPR class that was open to the public. I had never met her until I was teaching that course; unfortunately, she didn't pass the course. The hospital administrator phoned me and asked, "What are you doing? Do you know who this lady is?" I said, "No, but she didn't pass the course." Virginia phoned a short time later and said I'd given her everything she'd needed and thanked me. Shortly thereafter, I got a very nice note, thanking me again and wanting to stay in touch, which she did from that day on. Virginia extended herself so that she could find something good in everybody. She made friends out of people you'd never expect.

The cost of medical school was tough, and I'd gotten as many loans as possible, but the cost was still pretty significant. I had two kids and a wife. I went to Virginia to ask about getting a loan from her for school. We talked a short time, and she said she'd like to help. She ended up giving me the money in the form of a scholarship, even though she really didn't know me from Adam. She gave me one check per year for four years.

Virginia had a lot to do financially with Scottsdale Memorial, and most of her medical care, her allegiances, was based there. But whenever she got really sick, she would often call to ask for my opinion. I did many home visits over a ten-year period. Virginia never liked medication, no matter what the reason; she had a hard time taking it. She was highly independent, so any indication she was not in control was tough for her.

I was her attending physician when she died. That young man she had once believed in and supported through medical school,the CPR instructor who failed her in the course,was with her at the end as her attending physician. It had come full circle. I was proud to know her, comfort her, and be her friend. I still think about her often, and her kindness and legend lives on, in part through me.