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Virginia NIXON Obituary
(1939 - 2015)
Virginia Nixon (née Lambe), daughter of Charles and Winona Lambe, died of cancer on December 9, 2015, at 1:15 p.m., in the Balfour Mount Palliative Care Unit of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). She had been diagnosed as having stage III fallopian tube cancer, and was operated on, in the fall of 2000, and subsequently was treated with chemotherapy. Ginny enjoyed a long and productive career as a journalist and academic. She was an art critic at the Montreal Gazette for twelve years and for thirty years was a part-time fellow at Concordia University's Liberal Arts College where she taught courses in art history and music history, and was much appreciated by her students and colleagues over the years. She was an active member of the housing coop La Tour des Alentours, an avid practitioner of Capoeira Angola and had a passion for research, for presenting at academic conferences and for travel in Europe. Ginny is survived by her husband Laurie, her children Martin, Sarah, Judy, Judy's husband Noel, Anna and David, her grandchildren Bridget, Olivia, Kiana and Sophie Charlotte, her sister Pam, and Pam's husband Reji, her sister Linda and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She will also be sorely missed by many friends in North America and Europe. There will be a private burial in the Mount Royal Cemetery and in January a public commemoration of her life at a date and location to be determined.
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32 Entries
Nixon Family
January 11, 2016
There will be a commemoration celebrating Virginia's life on January 24th, at the MAI Centre (3680 Rue Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, QC H2X 2K5) at 2PM. You can find out more information by sending an email to: [email protected]
Nixon Family
January 10, 2016
A commemoration for Virginia Nixon will take place on Sunday January 24th 2016. For further information, you are invited to contact the Nixon family at: [email protected]
Gail Massarelli
December 21, 2015
I remember Viginia baby sitting me when I was little. I remember loving to look over all the miniature doll house collection stuff. I am the daughter of Paul Massarelli. He passed away two years ago... but Viginia was a wonderful friend to my dad over the years. A wonderful woman, very kind hearted and generous soul. She sent my parents Christmas cards every year!
Condolences to the entire family over you great loss. My prayers and thoughts are with you.
Liz Massarelli
December 21, 2015
I am sorry for your loss. I was just writing a Christmas card to her and looked her up on the computer so make sure her address is the same and found this sad news that she passed. I wanted to thank her for always caring for your parents. I was young the last time I was at her place but I remember her son David. I think she took care of my sister when she was younger. My parents always got cards and calls from her over the years. I just wanted her to know my father passed last year too. Thanks for being a kind women.
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George Ferzoco
December 20, 2015
My wife (Carolyn Muessig) and I got to know Ginny while we were students in Montréal, and always found her to be extremely pleasant and always generous with her advice. Please accept our sincere condolences.
Stan Nachfolger
December 18, 2015
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
December 18, 2015
Andrew Lyght Artist Kingston NY. I meet Virginia in 1971 who was first person to write about work in Montreal after i arrived from Guyana 1969. She encourage me when told I was going New York. I am so sad the she will able look at the book on my work and life that accompany my exhibition Andrew Lyght: Full Circle, January 20th - April 12th, 2016, Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, State University of New York at New Paltz. My deepest sympathy to her family, she will be missed but I will alway remember the 1971 interview for Montreal Gazette, because her still doing what love best, I am glad got chance tell her this past summer in an email.
Andrew Lyght
Davina Mill
December 17, 2015
My sympathies, Laurie, to you and your family at the loss of your dear wife Ginny.
Virginia in Parc Oxygène
Patrick Barnard
December 17, 2015
I am sorry, LaurieI will remember Virginia in Parc Oxygène, giving her support to keeping that spot of green. All the best to you and your family.
Richard Hull
December 17, 2015
I have always held a special spot in my heart for Ginny. She always made me feel so welcome in her home. One of her many qualities was her ability to treat everyone like an adult (I was 16 or 17 at the time). She was undoubtedly the worlds fastest typist and very capable at multi-tasking. She was one of the kindest people I've ever met and I'm deeply saddened to hear this news. Cancer has a way of taking away our best. To Laurie, Martin, Sarah, Judy, Anna, and David; my heartfelt sympathies.
Alex Simonelis
December 17, 2015
Sympathies, Laurie.
Greta Hofmann Nemiroff
December 17, 2015
I only had the pleasure of meeting her once, but I think i have an idea of the extent of loss her family and friends feel. I send my sincere condolences. Greta
Simon Davies
December 17, 2015
Laurie and Family,
So sorry to hear the news of your loss. Virginia had incredible strength and I think that was fueled by your incredible love for her. Be strong in your loss, and let the memories of Virginia support you all.
December 17, 2015
My deepest and most sincere condolences to Laurie and his family upon the passing of his wife and true love, Ginny. Hopefully, the weight of support offered by his family and close friends will lessen the burden, at least temporarily of this loss.
Richard Soare
December 17, 2015
I remember Ginny, her smile, her quick repartee, her way of getting things right, a no-nonsense woman after my own heart. We were lucky to have had her with us.
Edward Smith
December 16, 2015
I will miss Ginny for many reasons, but here's just one: No matter how hectic her schedule while travelling abroad, Ginny always took the time while visiting museums and galleries to select a postcard for those - like my mother, her Aunt Katharine - who were unable to experience what she was seeing. These she stamped, addressed, and inscribed with a greeting which included her own art-critic apercus on the particular artwork. So very thoughtful, and so much appreciated.
Heartfelt sympathies to Laurie, Martin, Sarah, Judy, Anna, and David.
Susan Palmer
December 16, 2015
Ginny was my friend. I have known her since our twenties, when she was very slender with thick dark eyebrows and Byzantine eyes. We both discovered martial arts in our forties, but she was very strong from weight lifting and rollerblading and would tell me about her experiences competing in tournaments. We shared a passion for medieval music, for baroque opera and for murder mysteries - especially Ruth Rendell. When Ginny came to my dinner parties she would suddenly express a heterodox opinion that would freeze the conversation - but then she would defend her "opinionated opinion" convincingly and she welcomed debate, so soon a fascinating and focused discussion would replace trivial chit chat. I began to realize that Ginny had a strikingly original and curious mind. Her book, Mary's Mother, is a brilliant sociological study of the role of Saint Anne in German culture and I used it in my courses. She was an enthusiastic traveler, and I would consult her before my trips to Europe about art galleries, routes and restaurants. She was a very loyal and dependable person, at once practical and intellectual. She was very interested in the people around her, but also tough and independent. She was a fun, challenging, reassuring friend, in fact, quite unique. I will miss her.
- Susan J. Palmer
Norman Nawrocki
December 15, 2015
My deepest sympathies. Virginia was an indefatigable fighter for our local Milton Parc community, actively involved on many local quality of life issues, including the battle to save Parc Oxygène. Her determination, her smile, her resourcefulness and ever-positive energy will be missed.
Cecil Kindle
December 15, 2015
My best wishes to her family.
Youster
December 15, 2015
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. Our sincere condolences, love the Youster family
R. Gullo
December 14, 2015
I am so sorry to hear of Prof. Nixon's passing. She was an amazing professor in Art History at Concordia University.
Frank Mulvey
December 14, 2015
Virginia was the first journalist to write some words on my artwork (Création Québec '83 (Centre Saidye
Bronfman)). As a young artist, I remember being surprised and grateful that an art critic would take time to do that. Thank you Virginia for all the thought you put into your writings on art through the years.
December 14, 2015
Ginger:
You are so missed.
See you soon - or not.
Lois
Audrey Ottier
December 13, 2015
I am so sorry to hear of Virginia's passing. My most sincere condolences to Anna and the family. Although I had not seen Ginnie for several years, she was a cherished member of the capoeira community and an inspiration to myself and other members who had the privilege of training and playing with her. It was an honour to know such a formidable woman.
Arthur Levine
December 13, 2015
To Lawrence, I am very sorry to hear of your loss, I liked Virginia.
Maria Peluso
December 13, 2015
Words cannot describe how much Ginny will be missed. A brave soul. For anyone who crossed her path you were immediately struck with a sharp wit an inquisitive mind, and a kind heart. Ginny was loyal to the Concordia Part-time Faculty Association, to her many colleagues and the students she served. To her lovely family and dear Lawrence, she was dedicated to you all. You are blessed with memories of her to cherish for a lifetime.
Colin Murphy
December 13, 2015
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh an anam usal.
Clare Henderson
December 12, 2015
I am so sorry to hear of Ginnie's passing.
joanabbey Sack
December 12, 2015
Yes we will commemorate her lifeGinny s amazing life of family, of dedication, of intelligence, of determination. From many years ago this wonderful family were neighbors, to become friends; Ginny to become a mentor, a colleague, and an inspiration. She rode the waves of this challenge of cancer and stayed in there. I am one of many who will miss her and miss knowing she is a phone call and a coffee away. I take as a gift and responsibility to carry her into the fabric of our lives and send profound condolences to this warm and incredible family and to Ginny's friends and community.
Joanabbey Sack
Joanabbey Sack
December 12, 2015
Yes we will commemorate her lifeGinny s amazing life of family, of dedication, of intelligence, of determination. From many years ago this wonderful family were neighbors, to become friends; Ginny to become a mentor, a colleague, and an inspiration. She rode the waves of this challenge of cancer and stayed in there. I am one of many who will miss her and miss knowing she is a phone call and a coffee away. I take as a gift and responsibility to carry her into the fabric of our lives and send profound condolences to this warm and incredible family and to Ginny's friends and community.
Joanabbey Sack
Curtis Parr
December 12, 2015
My deepest sympathies to Prof. Nixon's family. I will always remember her as one of my favorite most revered professors at the Liberal Arts College.
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