Virginia Gelman

CARBONDALE -- Virginia "Ginny" Lee Gelman, 89, died at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, 2012, in Rehab and Care Center of Jackson County in Murphysboro.

Ginny was born Sept. 23, 1922, in Marion, to George and Bertha (Fulkerson) Smith. She often mentioned how she loved growing up on the family farm south of Marion and the domestic and wild animals found there.

Ginny was married to James Shanks Jr., from 1942 to 1945. World War II separated them, he to Europe and she to work at factories in St. Louis and Chicago. She embraced urban life. With her older sister, Violet, she moved to New York City in the mid 1940s, where they became expert clothing designers. They were later joined by their younger sister, Mary.

In 1947 at a party at her New York apartment, she met a neighbor, Benedict Gelman, a commercial photographer and World War II veteran. They were married a few months later, Dec. 16, in Hoboken, N. J. Several years after the birth of their son, Roger, in 1953, Ben and Ginny decided to move to Southern Illinois. They had both come to appreciate the natural attractions of our area and the friendliness of its people. They were very happy here and remained devoted to each other until his death July 21, 2007. Ben and Ginny first owned a home on Oakland Avenue in Carbondale and then a home on West Grand in Carterville. They eventually found the ideal property for them, an 11-acre former farm on the north shore of Cedar Lake in Makanda. At any one time,upwards of 20 cats lived with them incongruous companions to the native and migratory birds that Ben Gelman wrote about for many decades as a "Southern Illinoisan" columnist and editor.

Ginny was a collector of dolls and made doll clothing, rag dolls and teddy bears. She grew flowers, made compost and was a recycler long before the practice became popular. She was a liberal and outspoken politically, having a strong sense of social justice and fairness for everyone. She had no ambitions to become wealthy or to own the newest gadgets and furniture. She sewed the family's clothes and visited yard sales and flea markets to outfit their home. She loved all kinds of music, especially classical and opera.

Ginny was preceded in death by her husband, Ben; their son, Roger; her sisters, Dorothy, Mary and Violet; and her brother, George Jr.

She is survived by her friends, Laraine Wright and Jerry O'Malley of Carbondale and Tracy Evans of Springfield.

Her friends are very grateful to the staff of Rehab and Care Center of Jackson County for their years of loving, professional care and for making sure that she could often listen to music every day. Thanks must also be extended to Hospice of Southern Illinois.