Virginia Gibney

Virginia, also known as “Ginny” or “Nana” was born and raised in Fall River, with her parents, Gerald and Mary (Bosi) Sullivan and her two surviving sisters, Dorothy Caron of Swansea, and Lillian Rogan of Somerset. Following her graduation from Dominican Academy, she met a strapping Army veteran, John Gibney, and the two were married on April 19, 1950 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. John and Virginia had a beautiful marriage, and traveled extensively after John’s retirement from Shell Oil.

Virginia had a number of passions, the first being reading. She devoured one book after another from the Swansea Public Library, which served as her sanctuary and her lifeblood. Virginia was also a diehard Celtics and Red Sox fan.

But Virginia’s greatest passion was her family. She is survived her four children - Kathy McKay and her husband Jim Hitt, of Brevard, NC; Dr. Mark Gibney, and his wife Rita, of Asheville, NC; Brendan Gibney of East Providence, RI; and Christine Tafe, and her husband Michael, of Swansea. “Nana” had three grandchildren who adored her, and vice versa – Attorney Justin Tafe, of Los Angelos, CA; Attorney Meghan Tafe Vadakekalam, of Somerville MA; and Sean McKay, of Charlotte, NC. She also had two step-grandchildren, Attorney Matthew Dalton, of San Francisco, CA; and Dr. Vanessa Dalton, of Ann Arbor, MI.

In the last weeks of her life, Virginia celebrated the marriage of her granddaughter Meghan, and the birth of her great-grandchild, Blake Connor McKay. Virginia left this world just as she lived it, with grace and surrounded by love.

Her Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 9:00AM in St. Dominic’s Church, 1277 G.A.R. Highway, Swansea. Relatives and friends invited. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her honor may be made to the Swansea Public Library, 69 Main St., Swansea, MA 02777. Arrangements are in the care of the Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute at Birchcrest. Burial private.