Virgie A Bamberg

Virgie was born on a farm in Winchester Virginia in 1925 and grew up there during the Depression.

She graduated from Handley High School in 1941, just months prior to the US entry into WWII. During the War years, she works at the O’Sullivan Rubber Co.

After the war, she went to work for the Social Security Administration, and transferred to a position in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 50’s. In 1958, she married George Ely, a school teacher from Painesville, Ohio.

Always having an eye for business, at various times in her life Virgie had her own radio program, did modeling, ran a gas station, owned a dress shop, and for over 30 years, owned and operated Record Title/Record Data of Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula County.

After George Ely’s death in 1992, Virgie continued to run her title business and pursued her interest in ball room dancing.

It was dancing that led her to her last husband, George Bamberg. They were married in 2000. Sadly, George Bamberg died in 2003.

It was only then that she was coaxed to leave northeastern Ohio (with winter snow amounts that were measured in feet instead of inches) and move to Kitsap County to be near her son.

From 2003 until 2007, Virgie lived at the Vineyards Apartments in Bremerton. She made many friends and was active with the Bremerton Elks and the Sunshine Singers.

In 2007, Virgie moved into Clearbrook Inn in Silverdale. In her almost nine years there, she enjoyed the numerous activities and outings that were offered and cultivated close relationships with both the other residents and with the staff.

She passed away peacefully there on July, 26th.

A Funeral Mass will be held for Virgie on August, 4 at 11am (Rosary at 10:30) at Our Lady Star of the Sea, with a reception at Clearbrook Inn at 2pm.

Virgie is survived by her daughter Jeannette Phillips and husband Mark of Akron, Ohio, son Charles Ely and his wife Beverly of Bremerton, granddaughters Lauren Phillips (Chicago) and Dannielle Bray (Bremerton), brother Henry Adams and wife Joan of Nashville, niece Daphne Steward and husband Rob of Nashville, sister-in-law Joyce Cleversy and husband Art of Madison, Ohio, nephew Paul Stone and wife Janyce of Ravenna, Ohio and great- niece Hannah Rose Stone also of Ravenna, Ohio.

The Ely family wishes to give their heartfelt thanks to the following;

Dr. Andrea Chymiy and the staff at Pacifica Medicine & Wellness and Dr. Frank Pitcher DDS and his staff at Dr. Pitcher’s Practice; nights, weekends and holidays, you were always there for mom. You practice “old fashioned” medicine that puts the patient first. It’s the kind of care that we are seeing less and less of.

The staff and care team at Franciscan Hospice. Yours is a sacred calling. Much as a midwife eases the birth of a child into this world, you ease the passage of those leaving this world for life eternal in the next.

Fr. Derek Lappe, Meg Collier and all the amazing volunteers, staff and Eucharistic Ministers at Our Lady Star of the Sea. For many years mom was unable to physically attend Church. You brought the Blessed Sacraments and the love and comfort of the Holy Mother Church to her.

Finally, to our dear friends at Clearbrook Inn; you have never been just “staff”. You have been our friends and our family. You gave our mom a home with the kind of 24hr care that we never would have been able to provide on our own. Mom loved you, and so do we.