Obituary for Virginia Colenback
Virginia Harvey Colenback, known fondly as Puz, Ginny, Mom, and Gran, died on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Providence, Rhode Island. She was 81.
The family matriarch, a devoted mother of three and fun-loving grandmother of three, a lover of books, politics, the Final Four, pink flowers in bloom, antique dolls, ideas, family history and an occasional chocolate Awful Awful, her warmth and genuine love for people enveloped her family and touched the lives of all who met her.
She grew up in Covington, Tennessee, the oldest of five children of Margaret Emily Wilkes Harvey (“Meme”) and Arthur Mosby Harvey, Sr. (“Grandaddy”). She attended Byars Hall High School, Class of 1951, where she lettered in basketball all four years, attended Girls’ State and was crowned Football and Strawberry Festival Queen. She left home by train, with only her steamer trunk, to attend her beloved alma mater, Vassar College, Class of 1955. It was there that she met Lloyd J. Colenback on a blind date on Valentine’s Day; they married in 1956 before settling in Michigan where she taught grade school and devoted herself to her family. She later moved to Perrysburg, Ohio and then to Sarasota, Florida, where she spent cherished times with family, holding court on her lanai. For the last seven years, she made her home in her cozy garden apartment at The Village at Waterman Lake in Greenville, Rhode Island, surrounded by special friends.
She is survived by her children Judith Colenback Savage and son-in-law Jonathan of Providence, Rhode Island, Timothy Lloyd Colenback and daughter-in-law Kim of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and loving son Girard Mosby Colenback of Providence, Rhode Island; her grandchildren, Justin Benjamin Savage and wife Elizabeth, Jeremy Bradford Savage, and Julia Margaret Savage, of Providence, Rhode Island; brothers Robert Price (“Bob”) Harvey and his wife Nancy of Anchorage, Alaska and Gordon Roper (“Jack”) Harvey and his wife Judy of Pellston, Michigan; her sister-in-law, Karin Liljefors Harvey of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and many special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister Emily Harvey Collins of Sarasota, Florida and her brother Arthur Mosby Harvey, Jr. then of Muscatine, Iowa.
Mom was our best friend and confidant. A woman of deep strength and wisdom, she taught us her whole life, right until the end. We all loved her so very, very much.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a service to celebrate her life at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015 at the Redwood Chapel, Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island. Internment will immediately follow the service.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a service to celebrate her life at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015 at the Redwood Chapel, Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island. Internment will immediately follow the service.
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The family matriarch, a devoted mother of three and fun-loving grandmother of three, a lover of books, politics, the Final Four, pink flowers in bloom, antique dolls, ideas, family history and an occasional chocolate Awful Awful, her warmth and genuine love for people enveloped her family and touched the lives of all who met her.
She grew up in Covington, Tennessee, the oldest of five children of Margaret Emily Wilkes Harvey (“Meme”) and Arthur Mosby Harvey, Sr. (“Grandaddy”). She attended Byars Hall High School, Class of 1951, where she lettered in basketball all four years, attended Girls’ State and was crowned Football and Strawberry Festival Queen. She left home by train, with only her steamer trunk, to attend her beloved alma mater, Vassar College, Class of 1955. It was there that she met Lloyd J. Colenback on a blind date on Valentine’s Day; they married in 1956 before settling in Michigan where she taught grade school and devoted herself to her family. She later moved to Perrysburg, Ohio and then to Sarasota, Florida, where she spent cherished times with family, holding court on her lanai. For the last seven years, she made her home in her cozy garden apartment at The Village at Waterman Lake in Greenville, Rhode Island, surrounded by special friends.
She is survived by her children Judith Colenback Savage and son-in-law Jonathan of Providence, Rhode Island, Timothy Lloyd Colenback and daughter-in-law Kim of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and loving son Girard Mosby Colenback of Providence, Rhode Island; her grandchildren, Justin Benjamin Savage and wife Elizabeth, Jeremy Bradford Savage, and Julia Margaret Savage, of Providence, Rhode Island; brothers Robert Price (“Bob”) Harvey and his wife Nancy of Anchorage, Alaska and Gordon Roper (“Jack”) Harvey and his wife Judy of Pellston, Michigan; her sister-in-law, Karin Liljefors Harvey of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and many special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister Emily Harvey Collins of Sarasota, Florida and her brother Arthur Mosby Harvey, Jr. then of Muscatine, Iowa.
Mom was our best friend and confidant. A woman of deep strength and wisdom, she taught us her whole life, right until the end. We all loved her so very, very much.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a service to celebrate her life at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015 at the Redwood Chapel, Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island. Internment will immediately follow the service.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a service to celebrate her life at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015 at the Redwood Chapel, Swan Point Cemetery, 585 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island. Internment will immediately follow the service.
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