Virginia M. Westney

Funeral Mass and Interment for Virginia Marie Westney (née Anderson), of Lake Zurich, will be private.

Ginny was born on March 18, 1941, to Raymond and Blanche Anderson of Chicago, Illinois. She passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by those she loved, on September 7, 2026.

Ginny graduated from Queen of All Saints School, St Scholastica High School, and Mundelein College in Chicago, where she double majored in Biology and Education. She married the love of her life, James Westney, in 1965, after they met while working at G. D. Searle Pharmaceutical Co. in Skokie, Illinois. They left the city for what was then the remote suburb of Lake Zurich, Illinois, in 1970. They were among the original residents of Old Mill Grove subdivision and later moved to Miller’s Grove subdivision in 1988.

Ginny was a beloved, Golden Apple Award-winning teacher for 35 years at May Whitney, Seth Paine, and Sarah Adams elementary schools for Community Unit School District 95 in Lake Zurich. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lake Zurich. After her retirement, she volunteered with her husband at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, and they enjoyed many trips to Disney World, her favorite place on earth other than home.

Ginny loved children, especially those with special needs, animals, chocolate, shopping, and all things Disney. She relished her years as Grandma and was the instigator of many frog-catching adventures, van movie picnics, and shopping expeditions. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Blanche, and her brother, Stanley. She is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years, James; her sister, Millie (Bob) McCormick; her only daughter, Kristine (Mark) Ritter; her much-loved granddaughters, Marissa (Austin) Kearby and Emily Ritter; her great-granddaughter, Naira; and several nephews and a niece.