Virginia Susan Oakshott

Virginia Susan Oakshott ("Ginny") passed away on October 26, 2020 following a brief illness. Ginny was born on November 26, 1940 to George and Olive Oakshott in Colville, Washington. Her family was well known in the Colville community as farmers, teachers, lawyers, and business owners. She was the youngest of three children, including her brother George and sister Claudia. Ginny grew up on the family farm North of town where they raised cattle and hay for feed. She cared for a menagerie of animals including Juby her horse and her faithful dog Lucky. She also adopted a baby skunk (thoughtfully named "Skunk") who she trained to sit and stay on command. She loved the farm and filled her time reading books, doing chores and taking long walks and bike rides along "Oakshott" road. The farm remains in the Oakshott family. Ginny graduated from Whitman College in 1964 with a degree in history and went on to teach secondary school for many years in Hawaii and Japan. She returned to Colville in retirement and became a regular patron of the library and local coffee shops where she would pause to read her books while sipping a latte. Books were essential to Ginny and it was difficult for her during the epidemic, when libraries were closed to access. She once wrote an editorial to the Japan Times arguing that television or computers could never replace the "active and intelligent" reading of real books. She spent hours wandering the aisles of the library or bookstore and poured through her books when she returned home. Among her prized possessions was an early edition of “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ginny was a gentle soul who will be missed by her family and friends. Due to health concerns there will not be a public memorial. Those wishing to honor her life may make a donation to the Libraries of Steven's County Foundation or simply, enjoy a good book.