Virginia Winifred (Schneiter) Forsyth, age 92, of Blacksburg, Virginia, died peacefully in her sleep on December 19, 2012. Virginia was the third and youngest child born to Frederick and Winnie (Curtis) Schneiter in Olney, Illinois, a small town in the corn and oil fields in the southern part of the state. There she grew into a smart, sporty, and beautiful woman. In 1946, she married the “boy next door,” Robert Bruce Forsyth, a Merchant Marine and later a lumberman. They raised four children and provided a warm and stable home for not only the kids, but for anyone who needed a cup of coffee or a friendly ear.

Virginia and Robert moved from Olney to Morton, Illinois, in 1965. There, Virginia entered the field of real estate. She became a very successful Realtor and Broker in the '70s and '80s, opening her own business with colleagues, “Forsyth, Tatum and Purvis Real Estate.”  Virginia always loved animals, cats in particular. After her retirement from real estate, she became a licensed Pet Sitter, one of the first in that profession. Her softhearted inclination to adopt stray cats was something she passed down to her children and grandchildren. She and Robert were married for 47 years until his death in 1993.

Virginia is preceded in death by her eldest son, Stephen Bruce Forsyth, who died in 2011. She is survived by her son, Robert Curtis Forsyth, of Greencastle, Indiana, her daughter and son-in-law, Jody and Jerry Verplaetse, also of Greencastle, Indiana, and daughter and son-in-law, Amy Forsyth-Stephens and Robert Stephens, of Blacksburg, Virginia. Virginia was blessed with six loving granddaughters, Vickie Bennett, Terril and Erin Verplaetse and Haley, Madison and Maya Stephens.

Virginia moved from Illinois to Blacksburg, Virginia, in 1996. She lived briefly at Warm Hearth Village, and after an injury became a longtime resident of Radford Health and Rehabilitation Center. She enjoyed life there, participating in all of the activities and social events. She especially enjoyed playing bingo, poker and other games. Her group of close friends, known as the High Rollers, provided a daily dose of fun and laughter.

Published in Roanoke Times, The (VA) - Saturday, December 22, 2012