Virginia Katherine Sory Brown

Born on July 24, 1954, in Nashville, Tennessee, to parents Jordan Stokes Brown and Anne Sory Brown, Virginia grew up in the small towns of Cedar Hill and Springfield, Tennessee. She cherished fond memories of traveling by train to Florida to visit her beloved Aunt Lib and other uncles and cousins in the Palm Beach area.

Virginia received her early education in the Springfield school system and graduated from high school at Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro, Virginia. Aspiring to major in piano at the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, she was told there was no room for additional pianists—but when asked if she could sing, she confidently replied that she could. This pivot led to her earning her undergraduate degree from Eastman. She continued her studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she received a master's degree and chose to make the city her permanent home.

For decades, Virginia was a premier teacher of piano and voice in Ann Arbor, nurturing countless students with her expertise and passion. A seasoned traveler, she toured extensively with choirs across the United States, Europe, and beyond. When not traveling, teaching, or performing with Michigan choirs, she immersed herself in cultural pursuits. She delighted in crossword tournaments in New York and elsewhere, as well as the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada.

An animal lover through and through, Virginia adored the nineteen (or more) dogs she adopted or fostered over her lifetime and generously supported organizations dedicated to canine welfare. She also championed causes related to suicide prevention, driven by profound personal loss.

Above all, Virginia cherished her late daughter, Evelyn Anne Smith, who tragically lost her battle with mental illness in 2022. Though she maintained a brave front, Virginia never ceased grieving her beloved child.

Virginia always insisted that "Virginia" was a far better name than "Ginny" for an opera singer. While she was known as Virginia to most, those who knew her longest affectionately called her Ginny. Even as illness slowed her in recent years and curtailed her travel, she never lost her rapier wit, wicked sense of humor, or uncanny knack for sharing hilariously naughty memes with friends. She remained almost invariably in good spirits, greeting even her final days in the hospital with smiles for the "cute young doctors" who cared for her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Aunt Lib, many cousins, and her daughter Evelyn.

Virginia is survived by her cousins Liza Sory McKenzie, Dr. Richard Leggett, Jay Leggett, and Gige Leggett Coffman, as well as her brother-of-choice, Dr. Steve Hyman.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, August 15th, 2026 at First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor, 608 E. William St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Memorial Visitation at Church begins at 9:00am, the same day as the Memorial Service. A service will also be held at the First United Methodist Church in Springfield, Tennessee on August 29th, with burial following the Tennessee service. Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Ann Arbor is assisting the family with arrangements, 734-663-3375.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are kindly requested to the Humane Society of Huron Valley (https://www.hshv.org/) or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (https://afsp.org/).

Ginny's warmth, humor, talent, and unwavering kindness will be deeply missed by all who knew her.