Virginia C. Bryan

Virginia C. Bryan “Ginny,” 88, of Wyckoff, NJ, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 19, 2021 after living a full and active life.
Ginny was born on March 12, 1932 to Frederick and Alice Cooper in Brooklyn, NY. She was a proud “Brooklynite” attending PS 217 and graduating from Midwood High School in 1950 and then receiving a Medical Lab Technician degree from New York City’s Paine Hall.

After graduation, she worked as a lab secretary in Brooklyn until she met Edwin Kraft. They married soon after in 1953 and had three children Cynthia, John and James. She found love a second time and married Thomas L Bryan in 1981 and she became a loving stepmom to Victoria and Douglas.

Although Ginny lived in Ridgewood for thirty plus years, she was a New Yorker at heart. A hard-working mom, sometimes juggling three jobs, somehow, she found time to give back to the community. She was active in the Ridgewood schools, Christ Church and a longtime organizer and producer of Ridgewood High School’s “Jamboree” and The New Players Theater Company.

Ginny worked predominantly in the medical field, first in dentistry and then many years in Valley Hospital’s scheduling and admitting department. Ginny’s unrivaled commitment to Valley became evident when after retirement, she became Chairwoman of the Valley Auxiliary. She continued working hard raising money for the hospital and volunteering at Valley until COVID-19 hit and was forced to slow down. Ginny was never idle, over the years she worked with the Ridgewood Garden Club, was a board member of The Hermitage, and a member of The Wyckoff Historical Society. She also loved to travel, was a fierce bridge player and regularly ventured back to New York for dinner and a show. When she wasn’t reading to children in Paterson, or volunteering her time at the Election Board, she was standing roadside Saturday nights outside her Spring Meadow community ringing bells for the COVID-19 frontline heroes. Ginny recently became a proud Catholic and committed parishioner of St Elizabeth Church in Wyckoff.

Ginny was predeceased by her husband, Thomas and son, John. She is survived by her daughters Cynthia Spatola and Victoria Hague, sons Douglas Bryan and James Kraft, sons-in-law Joseph Spatola and Eric Hague and daughters-in-law Heather Bryan and Maryclaire Kraft. Plus, a proud and doting grandmother to Bryan, Caitlin, Eric, Nathan, Zachary, Nicholas, Owen, John, Beatrice, and Delia and great-grandmother to Caden. She is also survived by dear friends to0 numerous to name or count. Ginny is described as having a huge heart, a keen sense of humor and an enthusiasm and zest for life that is unmatched, living each day her way.

A mass in her honor will be held at Saint Elizabeth Church in Wyckoff @ 11:00 am on Friday January 29, 2021. Visitation with the family begins at 10 am and a live stream of the celebration will be available @ saintelizabeths.org. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Ginny’s name to the Center for Food Action of NJ (cfanj.org) or Eva’s Village in Paterson (evasvillage.org).