Virginia W. Cushing of West Hartford, Connecticut died on Sunday, December 18, 2022, at the age of 88. She was born in Greenville, South Carolina on January 2, 1934 to the late Louise George Wiggers and Roy Alton Wiggers.

Virginia met John Cushing when she was twenty. He had moved from Baltimore to accept new employment in Greenville after completing service in World War II and graduating from college. Within six months they were married, and headed north to their new home in Cincinnati. She wasn’t born in the North, but got there as soon as she could! They later lived in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and finally forty years in West Hartford. John preceded her in death in 2009, after fifty-five years of a very happy marriage.

Virginia is fondly remembered by her children as a great all-round Mom, affectionate, a good listener and counselor to all she encountered. She had a distinctive “southern” gift of storytelling and would sit up all night at the kitchen table, discussing any number of topics. She enjoyed travel, a day at the shore, reading (especially the Sunday New York Times), dining out, theatre, movies, visiting with her children and grandchildren, and a good “Old-Fashioned” at dinner.

She was very proud of her successful 30-year career in the insurance industry, and made life-long friends there.

She is survived by her children, Carolyn Cushing of Atlanta, GA, Cynthia Cushing of Tucson, AZ, Charles Cushing of Philadelphia, PA, Charlotte Cushing of Spring City, PA, and Blake Hastings of Phoenix, AZ. She is also survived by her loving grandchildren Lara Cornett, Alex Cornett, Nick Auckland, Julian Cushing and Cara Cushing, her great-grandchild, Oscar Cushing, her brother Alton Wiggers, and several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her sister, Doris Brooks.

She and her children would like to extend thanks to her numerous fine friends who have been such loyal supporters to her throughout her long lifetime. Special thanks to friends who were very important to her in her later years … Marc Hussey, and Lou and Jaime Trajcevski and their daughter Danica. Danica was born on the very day Virginia’s husband died, and the stars aligned so that she became Danica’s caregiver for many years afterwards. She often referred to her beloved Danica as “the light of her life.” They were all a great help and comfort through “thick and thin” in her last years.

The family would also like to extend thanks to the staff and friends at McAuley House and McLean Hospice for the excellent care and friendship in her final few months and days.

Virginia was loved and will be fondly remembered and missed by all.

A private memorial will be held at a later date, with ashes interred in the Memorial Garden at Fairview Cemetery in West Hartford.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Virginia’s memory to either Connecticut Junior Republic in Goshen, CT or the West Hartford Food Pantry in West Hartford, CT. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com