Virginia Mulroy Cimino, 84, of Northford passed away on January 17, 2024 at Yale New Haven Hospital/Saint Raphael’s Campus. She was the beloved wife of the late George J. Cimino. Born in New Haven on March 6, 1939, Virginia was a teacher for the New Haven School System for many years until her retirement.
Family and friends are invited to go directly to St. Lawrence Cemetery, 280 Derby Avenue, West Haven on Thursday, February 8th at 12:30 PM to attend a graveside service.
The brevity of this obit does not do justice to a woman who led such a rich and full life. Gena was incredibly proud of her Irish/English heritage, and a visit to her home introduced you to multiple generations of keepsakes, antiques, and photos. She had an unwavering love of family and a wide circle of friends from all walks of life. Her parents had a great regard for learning, and, as an only child, Gena was privileged to receive degrees from Columbia and Yale (PhD), as well as doing course work at Oxford in England. While at Columbia, she met the love of her life, George, and was exposed to many types of people and cultures. She brought this love of diversity to her teaching at Fair Haven Middle School, and her teaching went beyond 9 to 5. She was always available to her students in academic areas as well as personal difficulties. This dedication resulted in her receiving Teacher of the Year Awards twice, and she proudly displayed in her den her letter from President Bill Clinton. Poetry and painting were also passions, but ran a second to her love of animals, especially her Pekinese friends over the years. Talbots, Chicos and Nordstrom were favorite destinations, and she regularly modeled for Nordstrom. Gena was a proud fashionista and kept up with the latest styles. She was always ready to join you for lunch, reconnect with her college roommates in Manhattan, or join friends on short vacations or visits to her favorite haunts in Madison. The home that she and George built in Northford was a true reflection of their lives together, with numerous souvenirs of their travels and George’s stints as a visiting professor in Italy, Spain, Russia, etc., and filled her with joy. In summary, this is just a brief tribute to a woman who embraced life to the fullest and cherished every moment of every day. Rest in peace Gena, you are home now with George and your beloved parents. You will be sincerely missed.
Today would be Gena’s birthday. She was a teacher friend from Fair Haven Middle School in New Haven.
There were a few of us who would meet for lunch once a year or so after retirement, and I remember Gena hosted a tea party at her home. She had many treasures to look at, and many stories to tell. Always a pleasant time with nice teacher friends.