Virginia Mary Lawton, affectionately known as Ginny, Gin, and GinnaBee, was born February 10th 1924 in Kingstown, (Roanoke) Virginia. Her parents, John Lawton and Nettie Carter, died when she was very young. She was separated from her siblings, Sam, George, John (Snook), Maudie, and Dorothy and raised by her aunt and uncle, Lucien and Clara Carter. When she was in high school, she went to live with Pearl Sadler who taught her how to be a hairdresser, a skill she retained and used most of her life. She moved to New York City in 1942 and met Lonist (Lonny) Miller, whom she married on June 24, 1944 at St. Mark's Church in Harlem. They lived across the street from Central Park on 110th Street with Lonny's mother and two sisters and brother until they had two children, Rodney and Lila. They moved to St. Nicholas Terrace in 1952, where they lived together over 50 years. When their health began to fail, they moved to Westhampton Beach to live in the family home with their son and daughter-in-law Corlette, and granddaughter Lila, who lovingly took care of them. Virginia held several jobs over the years. She worked in a Chinese laundry where she learned to expertly fold clothes and cook rice, and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during the war. She worked as a school lunch room aide at her children's school, PS 129, where she could keep an unobtrusive eye on them, get to know their teachers and classmates,and be home when they got out of school. Her last job was as a railroad clerk for the MTA, selling tokens in the subway from 1968 until her retirement in 1988. Virginia was a longtime member of the Church of the Master, joining around 1959. She was a trustee, deaconess and member of the usher board. She also helped computerize the church records. She continued to love church life dearly even after she was unable to attend services and had an especially deep affection for her best friends from the church, Flossine and Katie. Ginny was a beautiful woman both inside and out who had a warm and generous spirit. People were attracted to her and everyone commented on her friendliness and wonderful smile. Her friends were both young and old; she could hang out comfortably with any generation. She was vivacious and positive, seeing the best in everyone. Growing up in Harlem during the turbulent 60s and 70s, many young people found their way to her house because they felt comfortable and safe in her presence. She was a second mom to many of Lila's friends including Karen, Diane, and Rochelle. Many of Rod's closest friends embraced her as well, including Kenny, Carlton, Val and Edwin. Her nurturing prompted some of her older friends to say they wished Ginny was their daughter, a sentiment that resonated strongly with mom because she regretted that she never knew her own parents.