E. Virginia Canavan

Elizabeth Virginia “Gini” Canavan, 98, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on January 5, 2022 in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Born on November 15, 1923 in Weymouth, MA, Gini was one of nine children and the youngest daughter of Elizabeth Mary Bradshaw Collins from Tipperary, Ireland, and Patrick Joseph “PJ” Collins from Quincy, MA.

After graduating high school in 1941, Gini attended Lasell Junior College. But, WWII was in full swing and she was determined to serve her country. Ever the proud American, Gini joined the Marines in 1942. After having completed boot camp at Camp Lejeune, “Corporal Collins” was stationed in Washington, DC where she served until the end of the WWII.

Her most cherished memory from those early years was in February, 1943. The 20-year old Elizabeth Virginia was invited to christen a WWII landing ship (LST379) at the Four River Shipyard in Quincy where her father served as its respected chief naval inspector. For months thereafter, she received handwritten letters from the ship’s captain and executive officer sharing its whereabouts. Assigned to the European theater, the LST379 earned four battle stars and was one of 4,100 landing ships at the D-Day battle of Normandy.

Soon after her service ended, Gini enrolled in the famed Catherine Gibbs School for executive assistant training. It was during that time that she met the love of her life, Joseph “Joe” Canavan. According to Gini, her father quickly told Joe to “go away and come back once she’s graduated.” They married on June 24, 1950. The Canavans made their home in North Quincy, MA where they raised their two children, Cynthia “Cindy” and Mark, and remained there until they retired to Sandwich in 1994. Joe passed away in 1998 after 48 wonderful years of marriage.

Gini was committed, successful and passionate in all she did. She enjoyed a long career at Badger Engineering (Raytheon) as an executive assistant. She was dedicated to her church and served as the Corpus Christi Parish women’s guild’s treasurer for several years. She was active in the Sandwich Senior Citizens and served on the Board of the Ryder Woods Association. And, in her 80s, she eagerly participated in the Women’s Health Initiative Study, a long-term national health study that focuses on strategies for preventing heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis in post menopausal women. Yet the accomplishments that made her most proud were the ones inside her home—raising her children or spending time with her seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren, welcoming all of her many, many cousins, nieces and nephews (including the ones who are once and twice removed,) neighbors and friends to her dinner table, knitting lap blankets for seniors or wine bottle scarves and hats for the church bazaar, making brownies (a secret variation on the classic Duncan Heinz mix) at any possible opportunity, and never missing a chance to watch a good game (especially the Boston College Eagles or the Patriots) on TV.

Gini was the beloved mom to Cynthia (Bill) Burke of Sandwich and Mark (Jody) Canavan of Nantucket, and the adored “Neenee” to seven grandchildren: Caitlin (Walter) Vinci of Covington, LA, Colleen Burke of Sandwich, William Burke, III of Hyannisport, Caroline Burke and Candice Burke, both of Sandwich, and Sarah Canavan of Norton, MA, Amanda “Amy” Canavan of Ossining, NY, as well as three great grandchildren: Joseph Quigley, Dallas Allen, and Dellah Allen, all of Sandwich, and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday January 12th at 11:30am, Corpus Christi Parish-326 Quaker Meeting House Rd. East Sandwich, MA. Funeral Mass will also be available via live stream https://www.corpuschristiparish.org. Burial will follow at Massachusetts National Cemetery. Visiting Hours will be held on Tuesday January 11th from 2-5pm, Nickerson-Bourne Funeral Home- 154 RT. 6A, Sandwich, MA.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in her name to the charity of their choice.