Virginia Mona Hertzson

VIRGINIA MONA EVERETT MC CULLOUGH HERTZSON passed from our physical world on Wednesday, September 28, 2016, of natural causes, at her residence in “The Garden,” Mid Coast Senior Health Center, Brunswick, Maine. Virginia was 96 years old.

Virginia was born June 18, 1920 in Plympton, Digby County, Nova Scotia. She was the eldest of three daughters of Arlene Frederica Warner Everett and Captain Leon Otto Vincent Everett.

She grew up in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, attended The Euclid Elementary School and graduated from Hasbrouck Heights High School in the Class of 1938. In high school, she was a member of the Drama Club her junior and senior years, the Tri-Y Club senior year; she was Senior Pageant Costume Chair; she participated in Senior Chorus and was class secretary senior year. Virginia performed the lead in the senior play entitled, “The Tin Hero.” She was a member of the Junior Women’s Club of Hasbrouck Heights.

From the age of 16, until her marriage in 1941, Virginia worked in the Garment District in New York City as a designer’s model, a runway model and a photographer’s model for several dress houses of that period including Ashley Frocks and Revlane Frocks. She modeled at a 1375 Broadway clothing designer and manufacturer of gowns location, and another at 1400 Broadway on the 34th floor, across from The Metropolitan Opera House.

Virginia absolutely loved her modeling work but had many other interests, as well. She developed her wanderlust for travel early when in 1934 at the age of 14, she had the opportunity to take a three-month trip up the Amazon River with her father aboard a ship for which he was Master Mariner owned by a shipping company out of Liverpool, England. In 1938, she had another opportunity to take the same trip with her father. As they were returning home in September, 1938, they were caught in the infamous hurricane of that year (that devastated New England) and managed to ride it out in the islands of the Caribbean. She found that to be very exciting not frightening.

On January 11, 1941, while her father had leave-time to be home, she married William John McCullough, Jr., also of Hasbrouck Heights. They were married in The Methodist Church in that town. Virginia and Bill were married for 39 years and raised three sons and two daughters. Virginia was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and, a very loyal friend. She loved to spend time with her children and their families whenever it was possible.

Virginia had many other interests including the study and retailing of fine jewelry and gemstones; she was an accomplished photographer; she loved music and musicals of the 40s, 50s, 60s and, the history and culture of any place where she visited or lived. While her children were still young, she trained for and became a volunteer “Grey Lady” (nursing assistant) for Hackensack Hospital, part-time. She loved reading, sewing, and especially crocheting and did the latter well into her later years. She taught Sunday School in the Methodist Church in Hasbrouck Heights for 13 years and, she enjoyed being a Cub Scout den mother in Hillsdale, New Jersey in the early 1960s. She also love the family trips to Massachusetts to see her parents and one sister who lived there; and, she really enjoyed the many weeks spent every summer at Chadwick Beach on the Jersey Shore. She loved the ocean and always said that she was never happier than when she was on a boat and couldn’t see any land. She was funny and fun and had a great sense of humor. When grandchildren began to come along in the early 1960s, her family nickname became “Grami.” Starting in the early 70s, she began making an annual trip to California to visit one of her sisters. She always loved Florida and grew to love California very much, too.

In the mid-1960s, Virginia returned to work outside of her home. Over the subsequent 20 years, she was employed by JC Penney in the Paramus Mall; and, after 1966, WT Grants in Toms River, New Jersey and Britts Department Store in Bricktown, New Jersey. She especially loved her work in the retailing of fine jewelry in JC Penneys in Toms River, New Jersey for six years.

In July, 1982, she relocated to Hudson, and then Spring Hill, Florida and was employed by Montgomery Ward Department Store and Laurias Jewelry Store, there. April 4, 1984, Virginia married David Hertzson in Spring Hill, Florida. For the next 21 years, Virginia and David resided in Florida, North Carolina and New Jersey during which time they also took 84 cruises. One of those was a trip up the Amazon River in 1998 to celebrate 60 years since Virginia’s last trip there with her father.

Her husband, David, passed away on February 23, 2005. Thereafter, Virginia resided fulltime in Whiting, New Jersey in a senior community called Crestwood Manor. There she was able to be near some of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as to maintain contact with some long-time friends and to make new ones. She enjoyed attending Vesper Services at Crestwood Manor and during her eight years in that community, she made numerous trips to Maine

In July, 2013, Virginia relocated to Brunswick, Maine to live with her surviving daughter and son-in-law. Her family would like to thank all of the loving and devoted caregivers from “Aging Excellence Agency” who attended her in her daughter’s home. Several became her trusted friends as well as her caregivers. In November, 2015, Virginia became a resident at “The Garden,” in Brunswick, Maine. Her family all want to extend their deepest appreciation for the tender, loving care she received from all of the staff and caregivers at “The Garden.’'

Virginia was predeceased by her two husbands, William John McCullough, Jr. and David Hertzson, her two younger sisters, Leah Barbara Everett Clark Wickersheim Desonier, Norma Everett Larkin as well as her daughter, Kathryn Ann McCullough Drexler Gage.

She is survived by her three sons, William John McCullough III and his wife, Gail Dunn McCullough, Clyde Everett McCullough and his wife, Susan Brett McCullough, Douglas Arthur McCullough, Sr., her daughter, Virginia McCullough Fish and her husband, Stanwood Curtis Fish, Sr., Elaine Reynolds McCullough, 11 grandchildren, two “adopted” grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two adopted “great-grandchildren,” and many nieces and nephews.