Saturday, March 1, 2014

Remembering Ginny Nylen


Virginia Nylen passed away in Tucson, Arizona on December 11, 2013. Ginny was born September 8, 1939 in Trail, BC, Canada to Ralph and Mary Scriven. She went to school in Olds, Alberta and then Swift Current, Saskatchewan. After graduating with her RN degree from Calgary General Hospital in 1960, she worked in Santa Barbara, CA, then moved to Oahu where she and several of her CGH classmates lived together and worked at Queen’s Hospital. She married in 1962, and lived on the Big Island for four years. While raising a family, she obtained her BS in nursing, and then her Masters in Public Health. She also continued to work as a nurse at Castle Hospital, Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF), Drug Addiction Services of Hawaii (DASH), Ask a Nurse, and ultimately at Hawaii State Hospital. In her retirement, she has spent time both in Hawaii and on the mainland, and for the past 8 years, she has kept a motor home on the mainland, travelling throughout the United States and Canada, and making friends along the way. She has also made trips to Asia and Europe and has been on several cruises with family and friends. Ginny gave freely of her time to such worthy causes as the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and the Presbyterian Church Mission. Predeceased by her parents, Ginny is survived by her children, Reyn, Randy and Heather, and by her grandson Noa, all on Oahu. She leaves behind her brother Morris (Carole) Scriven, and sister Linda (Colin) Sumner, as well as numerous cousins in Canada. Ginny is also survived by a host of friends and acquaintances both in the US and Canada, all of whom will miss her sharp sense of humor, her honesty, her wisdom and her willingness to help people. In accordance with Ginny's wishes. her ashes will be scattered at Chinaman’s Hat in a private family ceremony.

The above is a copy of the obituary that Ginny's daughter Heather sent me.

I first met Ginny at Desert Haven, an animal rescue place, where we were both volunteers in New Mexico. After I got my motor home, we would plan to meet at various destinations and always had a wonderful time. She and Colin and Linda are responsible for me being at Mission View here in Tucson. They literally helped me move from New Mexico. I always called Ginny my Guardian Angel; she was always there to help. My blog post for Thanksgiving has, I guess, our last pictures of Ginny.


This is a scrapbook page that I did for her when she visited me near Yuma in 2011. Her smile says it all.

Today was the family's memorial at Chinaman's Hat. Rest in Peace, dear friend.