Virginia Mae McPhail

August 26, 1936 - November 26, 2020

Virginia Mae (Peterson) McPhail (aka, Ginger aka, The Mommer) ate radishes every day for breakfast. Beloved mother of 4, grandmother of 8, Mommer made many claims over the years including that she had all of her children potty trained by their first birthday. In the same spirit, Mommer also claims all 4 kids used the same set of cloth diapers given to her at her first baby shower. The diapers were washed and ironed after each use by all 4 kids. Mommer had a strong love for music and was a passionate piano player since childhood. Her prized possession was her baby grand piano given to her by her husband (The Bobber) when he negotiated the piano’s purchase as part of the mortgage for their home. The piano was always a focal point for the family. In later years she and the Bobber would often finish their days around the piano singing Scottish folk songs. Mommer was a devoted tennis player and quite skilled at Bridge. She could type faster than most human beings and parlayed that skill into a long career with Blue Mountain Arts. She had a knack for getting babies to smile and animals to follow. Her strong Swedish heritage stayed with her and she never lost her taste for pickled herring, Swedish meatballs and to her family’s chagrin…Lutefisk. She was a voracious reader and worked on cross word puzzles every day. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2000. The disease progressed slowly but eventually robbed her skills as a piano player, typist and the ability to write. She never lost her sense of humor and kept her wits to the end. The world is a little darker today without her light in it. Enjoy your martinis in heaven with the Bobber. You’ve earned it. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to: Capital City Hospice 2800 Corporate Exchange Dr. Suite 170 Columbus, OH 43231