Virginia Meile

Virginia F. Meile's life was a tapestry of experiences and memories, woven through over a century of remarkable years. Born on July 31, 1920, into the pre-depression years of Detroit, Michigan, her journey began. She started art classes at age 10 at Art Museum in Detroit. While attended Marygrove College, majoring in Home Economics, she met and married Carl H. Meile, setting the stage for a lifetime of love and partnership. Together, they navigated the challenges of the World War II years in Patterson, and Montclair New Jersey before returning to Detroit, where they welcomed their son Larry into the world in 1947. The family's narrative continued in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the birth of their daughter Laura in 1952 and the construction of a family home on Winchester Road. Virginia's life was marked by movement and change, from a year in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to moving to Western Springs, Illinois, and then Indian Head Park. where she found her calling as a librarian, at Highlands Elementary and Middle School touching the lives of countless children. The loss of Carl in 1979 was a difficult time in her life but Virginia continued to embrace life, living in Eagle, Colorado with her daughter and her family and then in St. Petersburg, Florida with her father until his death in 1984. She subsequently moved to The Mainlands in Pinellas Park, FL where she partnered with a long-time friend Warren Neely. She later met and lived with Steven Zagor. The two of them left the Mainlands and moved to Hendersonville NC where they lived for 8 years until they moved back to Florida, to The Villages, FL in 2017 to live next to her daughter, Laura. Steven passed in 2020 and "Gram" continued to live in her home with help from Laura and her granddaughter, Kimberly Elder who stayed with her from March 2022 until February, 2023 and then again from May 2024 until October when she moved to the Sumter Senior Living facility. Her passions for travel, painting, and the simple joy of ice cream and root beer floats painted the years with happiness. Virginia's 104+ years were marked not just by the places she lived or the roles she fulfilled, but by the love she gave, the lives she influenced, and the enduring memories she leaves behind. It is not often that one gets to experience four generation of their family. Her legacy is a reminder to cherish every moment and to live a life filled with curiosity, love, and joy.