Virginia Marie Harris, 63, of Middletown, CT passed away on July 28, 2023. Ginny was the firstborn daughter of Joyce Alice (Clarke) and the late Roderick Wesley Story. She is survived by her three daughters, Sierra Harris of Oakland, CA, Holly Harris of Rocky Hill, CT, and Emily Harris Radcliffe of Bend, OR, and her three grandchildren Arya Golden, Leandro Marottolo and Rose Marottolo. She is also survived by her three younger sisters in CT, Debra Houle in Middletown, Katherine Bristol in East Haddam, and Patricia Story in Stafford Springs, as well as her beloved nieces and nephews.
Ginny had a lifelong love of music and adventure that beckoned her to California. As a student at the University of New Hampshire, she pursued a transfer program at Chico State University in California, where she met Peter Harris, her husband of 16 years and father of her three children. Following their divorce, she relocated to Connecticut and built a career as an Administrative Assistant at Yale University and Wesleyan University. She was active in the unions at both institutions and deeply believed in the labor justice movement. She adored being around students and was inspired during her time at Wesleyan to take the final credits required to finish her undergraduate degree in 2008.
In her final years, Ginny found moments of joy in gardening, cooking, and enjoying the music of her youth – most notably the Grateful Dead. Sadly, her personal struggles often prevented her from living the life for which she longed. She will be deeply missed by those she left behind, who will remember her moments of kindness, her passion for justice, and her belief that there could be a better world.
A private service will be held on August 8th. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Virginia's name to either the Amazing Grace Foodbank or to Gilead Community Services in Middletown, CT.
“Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there”- The Grateful Dead
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