Virginia "Ginny" White Foot

Virginia “Ginny” White Foot, born July 19, 1941, died peacefully on June 17, 2023, in Boynton Beach, Florida. Although her body ultimately succumbed to the cancer, with which she was diagnosed in 2022, her faith, love for others, and positive spirit never wavered.

Ginny was born and raised on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Her mother, Marie White, and her uncle, Roland Somers, made sure that Ginny studied hard and was a proper young lady, while her brothers, Drs. Ed and Ike White, made sure that Ginny was teased constantly and loved even more.

Ginny attended Mary Washington College and worked in radio for several years before becoming a stewardess with Central Airlines, stationed out of Kansas City. After moving to Southeast Florida, she married Robert Foot in 1977 and started The Art of Framing, Inc., a cutting-edge community business which taught, helped, and allowed customers to frame pieces by themselves, while offering professional framing for the less adventurous and creative. During her 29 years in business, Ginny also served as the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Boynton Beach and as a member on several of the city’s advisory boards.

When people age, they either close off others or open their arms to others. Ginny opened her arms and her life so widely that professional contortionists were surely envious. Ginny loved her family and friends unconditionally and devotedly. A member of her one of Cursillo groups, which has met every Thursday morning for nine years, said, “Ginny was the glue that kept us together. She was a caretaker of people. Ginny had a list of people she’d call regularly and check in with. She always kept in touch and always called. I don’t know how else to say it: She kept people together.”  For instance, she never missed a birthday or holiday without sending a card or a present. Some lucky ones received Ginny-and-Bob phone serenades on special occasions. Even though neither Ginny nor Bob could hit any note with any accuracy, each phone serenade deserved a Grammy. Every year, Ginny and Bob would travel to Virginia and visit all their friends and relatives, making sure to visit and love each cousin and friend. In the last five years, Ginny started a “Cousins Reunion” luncheon on the Eastern Shore, which re-introduced cousins from the area to each other and created lasting friendships. All of us will miss her vibrant, beautiful, and always cheerful voice ringing out, “Hey there! We need to catch up!” in her phone calls, during which she’d fill us in on everything that everyone else was doing.

Ginny was extraordinarily active in the Episcopal church, through which she could help others in the community, whether they worshipped with her or not. Another Cursillo sister said, “Ginny looked at the big picture and not just at her church family. She truly cared about outreach into the community, and she was a tremendous advocated for immigrants and people of color.” At Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach, Ginny was Senior Warden. Additionally, she was the Lay Director of the Diocese Cursillo Secretariat and provided leadership on the Diocese Standing Committee. When the diocese closed Holy Spirit, she and Bob started attending St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Lake Worth Beach, where she immediately became involved by being an integral member of the fellowship committee as well as being a teller. She, also, was active in P.E. A. C. E. (People Engaged in Active Community Effort).

Ginny was not just a sports fan, she was a real sports fanatic. Her ten-year marriage to Frank Messer, a baseball announcer, cemented her love of baseball, and she made lifelong friends in the Oriole and Yankee clubs. After moving to Boynton Beach, she switched her allegiance to the Marlins, although she kept all her Yankee and Orioles friends. Ginny could recite the stats of any Marlins player, as well as his personal and professional history. She volunteered in concession stands at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter during Spring Training (with a percentage of the proceeds going to her church). In the off season, Ginny watched golf and football, always rooting for players with local ties, like Lamar Jackson, quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens. (He was a standout player at Boynton Beach High School.)

Finally, Ginny and Bob were avid travelers and enjoyed tours in Europe and China. They particularly loved going to Alaska, voyaging to Sitka, Dutch Harbor, Kotzebue, as well as to many midpoints in the state.  

Cori Olson, the priest at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, told her bereaved congregation the day after Ginny’s death, “We have truly lost a saint.” No one who knew Ginny could ever disagree.    

Ginny is survived by her husband of 46 years, Bob; his daughter Sarah Dinicolantonio and her sons Chris and Eric; niece Lee Kilduff, Esq. (husband, Bill, Esq., and daughter, Anna) of Richmond, VA; niece Laura Anderson (husband, Scott, DVM, and daughter Arianna) of Richmond, VA; niece Carrie White, Ph.D. (Paul Campsen, Esq.) of Norfolk, VA;  niece Somers Farkas (Jonathan) of West Palm Beach; niece Kellam White of Crozet, VA; nephew Ned White of Onancock, VA; brother-in-law Ted Foot (Pat) of Orleans, Mass; sister-in-law Karen Foot (late Dave) of Minnetonka, Minn; and many other grand-nieces and nephews as well as wanna-be adoptees to her family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Lake Worth Beach. The interment of her ashes will be a public service on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at the family plot in Parksley Cemetery, Parksley, VA.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks mourners to donate to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 100 North Palmway, Lake Worth Beach, FL, 33460; or to the American Cancer Society, Box 13300, Tampa, Fl, 33681-3300.

Local arrangements by the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home.

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