Virginia Lee "Ginny" Brix

Virginia "Ginny" Lee Brix

WOODINVILLE, WA - Virginia "Ginny" Lee Brix, nee Cooper of Woodinville, WA passed away on February 2, 2024. Ginny was born to John Daniel and Nona Pauline Cooper of Billings, MT one month after VE Day as the world was still celebrating the Ally victory in Europe.

Ginny grew up working in the family dairy business and was surrounded by beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents who all lived on the same street. She graduated from Billings High School in 1963. An accomplished student, Ginny was in Montana SPURS National Honor Society and a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority at Montana State University. One of only two women in her department, Ginny graduated in 1967 with a degree in Business Accounting and went to work for a Big 6 accounting firm, traveling across the Western U.S.

In 1968, she married Arthur Terry Brix at Soldier's Chapel in Big Sky, MT. They were married for 25 years and raised four children. She encouraged her children to work and study hard to pursue their dreams and make the most of their abilities. In addition to being a doting mother, Ginny managed to work full time, holding positions at Batelle Memorial Institute, the Department of Energy and Energy Northwest while attending night school at the University of Washington's satellite campus in Richland, WA. She earned her MBA in 1977.

In 1981, Ginny moved to what would be her favorite and forever hometown, Woodinville, WA. A proud resident of Woodinville for the last 42 years, Ginny was a dedicated mother, grandmother and community volunteer who was active in the PTA, Northshore schools, Woodinville Garden Club, and local politics, including the incorporation of Woodinville. In 1982, Ginny was appointed to Governor Spellman's Advisory Committee on Education serving alongside esteemed Washingtonians like Fred T. Haley. After many years of volunteer work, Ginny reentered the workforce at age 50 and not only forged a whole new professional career for herself, but she became a valued and esteemed colleague of several transportation planning firms in the Seattle area in her fifteen-year career including Mirai Associates, KJS Associates and Fehr & Peers. Ginny was a bright, curious, and kind person who had a great sense of humor and a lifelong love of learning. She was a humanist and a feminist who valued education, helping others and thrift. Those who knew Ginny know how much she loved gardening, painting, drawing, reading, her beloved cats and her family. "Nana," as she was affectionately called, delighted in her eight grandchildren spread throughout the country- Camille, Claire, Lily, Wilder, Olivia, Cooper, Ivy, and Sadie. She is survived by her three children Todd, Holly and Sean, her daughters-in-law Brenae Brix and Anne Brix, her son-in-law Kevin Burke, her sister Laurie Smith of Reno, NV and her brother Tom Cooper of Bismarck, ND. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Sammamish Valley Grange in Woodinville, WA at 1:00pm.