Virginia "Ginny" Mackey

Niantic - Virginia "Ginny" Mackey (Oct. 25, 1927–Dec. 30, 2025.

Virginia "Ginny" Mackey, a woman of unwavering faith, sharp wit, and an adventurous spirit, passed away peacefully Dec. 30, 2025, at the age of 98.

Early Life

Virginia was born in her home in Yonkers, N.Y. to William and Rose Harth. She was raised and schooled in Harrison N.Y., and attended White Plains High School where she met her future husband Harold.

A Life of Service and Learning

The first in her family to attend college, (College of Mount Saint Vincent in N.Y.C.) Virginia found her calling in nursing. She was a member of the U.S. Nursing Cadet Corps in the late 1940s. Her stories from nursing school were legendary - growing more dramatic and cherished with every passing year. She was a woman who took immense pride in her profession, serving as both a compassionate maternity nurse and a disciplined teacher of nurses at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital School of Nursing for many years. She was a devoted Catholic, attending Mass and volunteering with Catholic Charities for many years.

The Heart of the Family

While she was a dedicated professional, Virginia's greatest "vocation" was her family. She was the eldest of the four Harth sisters, a legendary bond of laughter and loyalty that shaped generations of cousins and friends.

For nearly 70 years, she was the deeply devoted wife to her high school sweetheart, Harold. Their marriage was a masterclass in Romans 12:10: "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Together, they built a life defined by teamwork - from the daily cogs of raising children in Niantic starting in the late 1950s to growing old together enjoying time with their grandchildren.

An Adventurous Soul

Virginia didn't just live life; she "collected" it. Inspired by her father, she was a true adventurer. She was the mother who braved the cold waters of McCooks Point Beach for swimming lessons with her children. She helped clear land and build a get-away home in Vermont so she could ski with her children and grandchildren. She played golf into her 80s, where she would still hit the links at Cedar Ridge (though she'd tell you to "keep quiet" if you teased her about using a golf cart instead of walking). Her curiosity took her across the globe - from an audience with the Pope in Italy, Australia's southeastern coast to the Great Wall of China and the fjords of Norway.

Friendships, Faith and Honesty

Virginia was a realist who wrestled with the big questions of life at her kitchen table. Her faith was steady and deeply rooted, yet never unexamined. She was known for her honesty; she didn't always filter her words, believing that the truth was a public service. She had a heart of immense loyalty, and a love for her friends, in particular her college and bridge club friends, who gathered for over 30 years from the 1960s through the 1990s. She had a lifelong devotion to her sisters and all her other friends, who affectionately called her Ginny.

Legacy

Virginia was "faithful and true" to the end. She taught those around her to keep touches warm and spirits adventurous.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harold; and sister Dorothea Harth. She is survived by her children: Denise Mackey-Russo (husband Dennis Russo), Brian Mackey, David (Lorna) Mackey and Russell (Karen) Mackey; and her beloved grandchildren: Erin Shuler, Christopher Russo, Sandra Rogers, Colin Mackey, Kylor Mackey and KeriAnn Mackey: and five great-grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Thomas Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 48 Grand Street, Niantic. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held the same day at 1 p.m. at St. Agnes Church, 22 Haigh Avenue, Niantic. Interment will be privately held at a later date.