Virginia M. Grondin

VIRGINIA “Ginny” MARIE GRONDIN
Virginia “Ginny” Marie Grondin of Bridgton Maine and Boynton Beach Florida passed away on January 19, 2020, after suffering a stroke on January 11th.
Born on February 8, 1940 in Boston Massachusetts to Philip James and Helen Virginia (Mowles) Coady, she was a graduate of Milton High School and Bentley College of Accounting. It was while she was studying accounting at Bentley that she met her future husband Leo Grondin. Their first date was a trip to Howard Johnsons for English muffins, because that was all Leo could afford. They married in a double ceremony with Ginny’s sister Betsy on May 27, 1961 at St. Mary’s Church in Milton, Massachusetts.
While living in the Boston area, they welcomed their daughters Suzanne and Kathleen and son Leo Junior. A job for Leo took them to Cincinnati Ohio, and while there, their daughters Patricia and Michelle were born. In 1969, they moved back to New England and settled in Fryeburg, Maine.
In addition to helping Leo establish and run a successful CPA firm, and raising their 5 children, Ginny was an example of love, faith, and service to all who knew her. There are too many examples to list them all, but we believe one of the things she was most proud of was serving as a founding member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Fryeburg. She and Leo were part of the core group that established and built the church building. Ginny had an amazing level of faith in the spirit on God and his works. Throughout her life she was she was an active member of the parish, serving as an Eurcharistic Minister. Ginny was also involved in other organizations like Cursillo, Kairos prison ministry, and in the beginning of the Hospice movement in Maine.
After selling the firm in Maine, Ginny and Leo indulged in traveling the world; visiting China, Africa, Australia, Russia, Europe, and South America. In the year 2000, they purchased a second home in Palm Beach Leisureville. They immediately became active community members, with Ginny joining COPS, the Recreation Committee, The New England Club, and the Ladies Golf League. She was also an active Mah Jongg player. Every summer they would always return to their beloved house on Highland Lake in Bridgton Maine.
Ginny was a hugger. Often when she was introduced to a person, she would say “I’m Ginny and I give hugs.” Then you would be enveloped in one of the best embraces ever. She was a woman who was always on the move, either taking Leo around town or running somewhere to help out a friend or family member. Everyone could feel her energy and love of life and love of family. She would constantly talk about her kids and grandkids, often in front of them, making them roll their eyes.
Ginny was predeceased by her parents, brother Philip Coady Jr., sister Marilyn Tufano, and grandson William Peterson. She is survived by her loving husband of 58 years Leo, daughter Suzanne and her husband Parker Roberts, daughter Kathleen and her husband James Peterson, son Leo Grondin Jr. and his wife Kiyomi, daughter Patricia and her husband Eric Falls, her daughter Michelle Tyne, and seven grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Betsy and her husband Ed Brickley, sister-in law Judith Coady and brother-in-law Rosario Tufano.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday February 8th at 11:00am at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 643 St. Mark Place, Boynton Beach. Another celebration of her life and her burial will take place in Bridgton Maine in the spring. In lieu of flowers, the family would request donations to The Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, or to a charity of your choice.