I first got to know Virginia in my early years of chairing the Lopez Island Historical Society Auction in the early 1980s. After years of being a casual, outdoor event at Odlin Park and then at the new Historical Museum, it had moved to the Legion Hall, which is now known as the Woodmen Hall. Donated items were moved out of storage and brought to the Hall. It took hours to set up the items around the perimeter of the hall & number them for the sale. This task was usually finished by me in the middle of the night after the auction volunteers had gone home for the night. I then took my stack of numbered 4 X 6 item cards to Virginia at whatever time I finished. She was always gracious, almost happy to see me at her door. After a few instructions, she would begin typing up the Auction program with the information provided through the night. I can’t imagine anyone else willing to stay up to make sure this event happened. I am still grateful for what she did.
Finding housing on the island has always been difficult. For a number of years I rented Steve Young’s 100 year old house 9 months of the year and then be homeless each summer, while he occupied his house. One summer Uncle Phil Hastin in hearing of my homeless dilemma, suggested I move into Marty Walzack’s house on the southwest side of Mud Bay. Islanders had just moved 90 year old Marty to the mainland, as he needed help in day to day activities. The rent was only $25.00 per month, it had an excellent clam beach, a collapsed outhouse and 2 rooms still full of Marty’s possessions. I packed up his things and put them in the well house and began cleaning and painting the interior. The cold water sink which was supposed to drain out into the yard was badly plugged up and it took my dad an entire day to open it up. I think I would have stayed there, except I could not get a phone land line to the cabin and it was before cell phones were available. After one summer I decided to move back to my 9 month rental and I offered the cabin to Virginia who was looking for housing. This must have been about 1980. Virginia lived there for a number of years before moving into her permanent home off School Road.