Virginia Eger Collawn

Virginia Collawn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2023, in Sarasota, Florida with her daughter Cynthia by her side. She was preceded in death by her husband William in 1998, her parents, sister Mary and beloved brother George. She was 92 years old.

Born into modest circumstances in Toledo, Ohio, on June 21, 1930, Virginia was the daughter of Harold and Jane Eger. She attended Michigan State University, where she met her husband, William Collawn, with whom she raised five children. Paraphrasing a Chinese aphorism meant as a curse ‘may you live an interesting life’ would be an apt narrative for Virginia’s 93 rotations around the sun.

Life got ‘interesting’ when the couple accepted a job offer for Bill in Cuba with Chrysler International. They relocated to Havana with Lainie, Bob, Jan, and Nancy in tow. There, Virginia had a courtside seat to witness Fidel’s brutal communist revolution, before fleeing to Miami late one night with a suitcase, four children and the clothes on her back.

After six months in Florida, they transferred to Geneva, Switzerland for two years, where they enjoyed extensive travel in Europe. Then on to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Cynthia was born. Virginia always said Argentina was her favorite country, despite the multiple coup d'états, high inflation, and political violence.

Five years later, on to Mexico City, Mexico where among other things they witnessed the 1968 Olympics and the government massacre of a hundred student demonstrators. Lainie, Bob and Jan returned to the US for school before the family moved to Colombia with Nancy and Cynthia. After several years in Bogota, the next stop was in Queretaro, Mexico. Finally, after three decades abroad, they moved back to the US, joining Lainie, and later Cynthia and her husband Kenneth Giraldo, in Sarasota.

There is often a price paid for an ‘interesting’ and complex life. Five children and recurrent crises led to challenging years. A family tradition was born in which calendars were burned on December 31 to mark the end of each tough year. Despite the testing times, Virginia remained strong, resourceful, and determined to move forward to the next chapter.

Virginia was imbued with great intelligence and a burning curiosity in subjects as diverse as astronomy, theoretical physics, biology, finance, politics, music, and world affairs. She shared her thirst for knowledge and learning with her family, inspiring them to explore the world around them. Her extensive and erudite perspectives and awareness of time and place offered a view through a portal into living history.

Virginia served in a variety of roles over her lifetime, including wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, educator, adoption administrator, real estate broker, and a friend to many.

The last 36 years of her life were spent in Sarasota, Florida. She maintained close connections with her children and enjoyed a warm and loving relationship with her grandchildren through visits, holidays, and family events. She had a major impact on their lives, and the human beings they have become. She lived with Cynthia, her husband Ken, and their children during the last 13 years of her life, providing richness to their lives.

She is survived by her five children and their spouses: Lainie and Jim, Bob and Pat, Cynthia and Ken, Jan and Peter, Nancy, twelve grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Virginia faced blindness and the vicissitudes of old age with grace and courage, providing an exemplar for her family and friends. A Grande dame to the end, she will be terribly missed, but her legacy will live on in the memories of her family and those who knew her.