Virginia T. Dunn, 89, of Middletown passed away peacefully at home on December 30, 2023, with family by her side. She was born in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, NY on November 26, 1934, to Harriet and Duncan O’Brien. An only child doted on by her adoring parents, Ginny graduated from Bayside High School, later earning her Associates at Averett College, and attending Barnard College.
It was as a student at Bayside High School that Ginny met her future husband, Frank (“Mike”) Dunn at a YMCA dance. In June 1956, these former high school sweethearts married and immediately left (with their dog Buffy) for Mike’s Marine Corps basic training. The following six years saw them move many times from North Carolina to Virginia to New York to Georgia and back again as they welcomed four daughters: Kathleen, Patricia, Judy and Diana.
With Mike’s Marine Corps service concluding the couple bought their first home in the “I” section of Strathmore in Aberdeen. Ginny and Mike welcomed their fifth child, a son, David, and moved to Marlboro where they raised their family. Ginny loved having a large family and they were her primary focus. A bit of an “efficiency expert” (perhaps it was all that time on Marine Corps bases?) she had this bustling big family, never complete without at least one dog, running like a well-oiled machine. Ginny served as a leader for her daughters’ Girl Scout troops and volunteered in the area schools. Believing in the importance of being informed and involved in her community Ginny was a highly engaged member of the Marlboro Republican Club serving in a of variety of roles including poll worker and Committeewoman. In 1981 Ginny was named Municipal Court Clerk for Marlboro Township, a position she would hold for over 20 years.
Following their decades living in Marlboro, Ginny and Mike moved to Freehold, later relocating to Shadow Lake Village, Middletown to be closer to family.
While her family was at her heart, in many ways Ginny’s foundation was formed at her family’s cabin in White Lake, NY. Built by her maternal grandfather, David Tate Tunstall, Ginny spent 88 summers at their lakeside log cabin, a place she considered heaven on earth. It was here that she learned how to swim, an activity she would compete in at both the club and varsity level. Her swimming prowess and natural grace led her to become involved in synchronized swimming at the collegiate level. When she was not swimming or itching to go out in a rowboat, Ginny could be seen sitting on the dock or the deck re-reading a Sue Grafton novel or reading the latest Louise Penny release. Ginny was never happier than when she was at “The Lake” and she passed on this love to her children, grandchildren and all who visited.
Ginny is predeceased by her parents, Duncan and Harriet (nee Tunstall) O’Brien, her husband of 53 years Mike Dunn and her beloved daughter Diana Dunn-Graves. She is survived by daughters Kathleen Carney (Neal) of Los Gatos CA, Patricia Dunn of Middletown, Judy Horan (John) of Fair Haven, son David Dunn of Aberdeen and son-in-law Andre Graves of Middletown; Grandchildren Rachel, Colin (Lauren), Michael, Jack, Sean, Liam, Carson, and Tori plus, her first great grandchild, Lily.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 7th from 4-7 pm at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 8th at 10:30 am at Holy Cross Church, 30 Ward Ave, Rumson, NJ 07760. Burial will follow at Clover Leaf Memorial Park, Iselin, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate in Virginia’s name to the charity of your choice or Memorial Sloan Kettering as Virginia would in memory of her daughter.
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