Obituary of Virginia Pauline Furman

Virginia P Furman

December 13, 1927 - June 13, 2024

Virginia “Ginny” Furman, cherished wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend passed away on June 13, 2024 at the age of 96. She is preceded in death by her husband of 73 years, Richard “Dick” Furman, her brother and sister-in-law Fred and Megs Galow, and beloved daughter Katherine “Kathy” DeGelleke.

Born in Huntington NY to parents August H. and Mary Galow, Ginny was a lifelong Huntington resident who was proud of her father’s legacy as a prominent local architect in the 1920s. She loved bringing friends and family to visit the buildings designed by August, including the old Huntington Hotel, Central High School, and the Cold Spring Harbor Firehouse.

After graduating from South Huntington High School in 1945, Ginny attended St. John's School of Nursing in Brooklyn (Class of 1949) and became a registered nurse. Over the course of her career she worked as a nurse at Huntington Hospital, as a teacher’s aide with the Huntington High School Science Department, and finally as a receptionist for Dr. Keith Nelson’s Chiropractic Center in Greenlawn.

Ginny met her husband Dick when they were 15 years old swimming at the second lake near Cold Spring Harbor, and the two were married on November 19, 1950. Together they had three children, Richard, Kathy, and John. They raised their family in Ginny’s family home, the Old “Buffet Homestead,” which was built in 1750 and where she lived from 1935 until the final months of her life.

An active member of the Huntington community, Ginny volunteered at the Huntington Hospital ER for almost 30 years, co-leading the Boy Scout Explorer Post 12 from 1974-1980 with her husband Dick, as well as serving with the Planting Fields Arboretum in Westbury and the Huntington Historical Society for many years.

Ginny was known for her tenacity and energy, which was reflected in her many hobbies across her long life. She enjoyed traveling across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, was an enthusiastic swimmer, golfer, and bowler, and found great joy and friendship singing with the Northport Chorale. Ginny could often be found tending to her beautiful garden and fish pond, and was always happy to receive visitors at her home for a cup of coffee and long rounds of conversation and storytelling.

She is survived by her eldest son Richard and daughter-in-law Kairn, her youngest son John and daughter-in-law Babette, son-in-law Scott Degelleke, her four grandchildren, Kira, Kali, Kort, and Cole, and two great-granddaughters, Emma and Evalina.

Arrangements are under the care of M.A. Connell Funeral Home, viewings will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, June 19. The funeral procession will depart from M.A. Connell Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 20 with a graveside service to follow at the Huntington Rural Cemetery.

Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Huntington Historical Society at 209 Main Street Huntington, NY 11743 or online via their website.