Virginia Marie Christner, 79, passed away Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at St. Anne Home, Greensburg. She was a resident of Scottdale, living on Spring Street for most of her life. She was born at the family home in East Township on Sept. 21, 1939, and was the beloved daughter of the late Francis "Frank" "Hoot" Christner and Goldie Kring Christner. She was a graduate of Scottdale High School with the class of 1957. She would walk home from school every day to have lunch and watch her soap operas, then head back for afternoon classes. After graduation, she went to work at Anchor Hocking Glass as a selector, identifying flaws in the glassware. She retired from Anchor with more than 32 years of service. During retirement, her hobbies included watching TV, including Regis, her soaps, the news and the Pittsburgh Steelers; shopping; visiting with company who would stop by; and talking on the phone with her extended family. Whether you called her Virginia, Gin or Ginny, everyone loved her. She loved to hear what was going on in people's lives and with their kids and grandkids. For years, she faithfully trekked to Kitty Hawk, N.C., in the Outer Banks. Many years she wouldn't get in the water or step on the beach; however, she loved hearing about everyone's days on the beach, planning the next meal while eating the current one, shopping at every store on the island and making sure that everyone had a good time. She also enjoyed having a slice of pizza or fish sandwich whenever someone volunteered to pick it up. Virginia was extremely generous to her family and anyone who stopped by selling something. She loved her siblings and their families. She was known for purchasing the first color TV for one after a tussle broke out over watching "Peanuts" or Winter Olympics figure skating in her living room. For many years, she was a fixture at every concert, parade, dance recital, football game or band competition. And when the weather did not cooperate, she donned a garbage bag parka so as not to miss a performance. She also never met a door-to-door salesman or student selling something for a fundraiser that she didn't like. You could always count on her to help buy out any chocolate, nuts, Girl Scout cookies, subs or anything else. In the last few years, as Ginny's memory started to go, she continued to look forward to visitors who dropped by to see her. She could recall many details of family life growing up on the Kring Family Farm in Owensdale or a trip to Idlewild Park and nearly missing a family of skunks in the road. After bringing her 1971 Plymouth Scamp to a screeching halt, the skunk family scurried off the road and all she could say was, "Phew, that would have ended our trip to Idlewild!" Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and several of her aunts and uncles from the Kring and Christner families. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy "Doris" (George Ray Jr.), of Mt. Pleasant, and their family, Kevin Ray (Todd Nelson), of Erie, and Lisa Ray and her daughter Sarah DuBrul, of Scottdale; and her brother, Samuel "Sam" Christner (Carol Osniak Christner), of Belleview, Connellsville, and their family, Scott Christner (Gig), of Mt. Pleasant, and his sons Jesse and Jonathan and Dustin Christner (Tabitha), of Belleville, Connellsville, and daughter Allie. She is also survived by her aunts, Anna Mae Kring Myers, formerly of Owensdale and a resident of St. Anne Home, and Ethel Kring Bendict, of West Overton; and many, many cousins. Special thanks to Dr. DeGregory and the staff of Heartland Hospice and the nurses and aides at St. Anne's for all of their care.
Personalized arrangements are under the professional supervision of ROBERT B. FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME, 105 Spring St., Scottdale. Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home chapel, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday with Pastor Tom Shirer officiating. Graveside committal service and interment will follow in Scottdale Cemetery.