Virgina "Ginny" Zemlin

1932 - 2020

Virgina "Ginny" Zemlin
Jan 27, 1932-April 16, 2020
Portola Valley, CA

Virginia "Ginny" Zemlin died at age 88 on April 16, 2020 in Portola Valley, CA . Ginny was born Jan 27, 1932 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Harry and Hilda Miller. Harry Miller was a family physician, and Hilda an RN. They moved to McComb, Ohio, where they built the family home and a town hospital on the same lot. As the oldest of four children, Ginny enjoyed doing house calls with her dad, and even helped him deliver a baby. An accomplished flutist, she graduated with a degree in music from the Ohio State University. While there, she met her future husband Richard A. Zemlin, a mathematics PhD student.
They married in 1954 and moved to the Bay Area in California where they raised their two children, Paul and Lynn. Ginny established herself as a musician in the community, performed with several orchestras and chamber groups, and was a founder and teacher at the Mountain View Community School of Music and Arts. She also taught at Canada College and had many dedicated private students. President of the Fortnightly Music Club for many years, she brought together local musicians to share and enjoy live music and organized regular free chamber concerts for the community. She also volunteered at the Stanford Cancer Center Health Library and was involved in several cancer research projects.
Ginny loved her family and taught them her appreciation of the finer things in life. Most important were music, books, (she was amazing at reading aloud) and travel. Always adventurous, Ginny did her own tour planning; an around-the-world trip with her husband, sailboat exploration of the Greek islands with family and longtime friends the Price family, climbing to the upper canopies of the Manu Reserve in Peru with sister Harriet, and wilderness camping in Yosemite with sister Lynn. She loved studying languages, and annoyed her family by covering the house with first French, and then Italian labels on all available walls, floors, doors, furnishings and dishes, and listening incessantly to Jacques Brel and Cecilia Bartoli. A fabulous cook, Ginny worked her way through Julia Child's French Chef and the enormous two-volume Gourmet series and enjoyed hosting elaborate and glamorous dinner parties. In an era known for Wonder Bread PB&J's and Oreos, she filled her children's lunch boxes with whole grain bread sandwiches, fresh fruits and home made cookies. She had a rose garden with over 20 varieties, and the house was always filled with their fragrance. Ginny enjoyed words and invented wonderful expressions, heralding each spring with a delighted "The forsythia is forsoothing!"
Ginny is predeceased by her parents, husband Richard and brother James Miller, and survived by her two children Paul Zemlin and Lynn Trimble-Zemlin, son-in-law Lee Trimble, honorary daughter Beth Weil, two grandsons, Ryan Zemlin and Greg and his wife Crystal Zemlin, sisters Lynn Miller and Harriet Fire and many loving nieces, nephews and friends.
She was a blithe spirit and we all will miss her very much.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association in Ginny's name.


View the online memorial for Virgina "Ginny"  Zemlin