Virginia Melvina LaClair

Virginia "Ginny" M. LaClair, Chapman Point, Morristown, NY passed away Monday, March 17, 2025, while under the care of the amazing team at St. Joseph's Nursing Home, Ogdensburg where she had been a well-cared for resident for two and a half years.

A widow's patience had worn thin as she undoubtedly exited directly into the arms of her best friend and late husband, of almost 7 decades, Bob, who left us just short of 3 years ago. She will be rushed as soon as possible to join Bob at the Brick Chapel Cemetery, not far from where they were both born, for a private family burial service at a yet to be determined date.

All arrangements are being looked after by the Frary Funeral Home, Ogdensburg.

Ginny is survived by a community of friends she considered family, a
sister, Avon Barnhart, her four children; Debra (Jeff) Brisebois, Robert (Lisa) LaClair, Jr, Michael (Beth) LaClair and Scott (Kimberly) LaClair, 10 grandchildren, 15 greats and a slew of others whom also called her Nan. A notable testament to a matriarch, who championed family closeness is that every one of those 35 people listed above continue to live within one hour of her home.

Destined to live her entire life as a North Country gal, Virginia was born, the eldest of four girls, on September 11, 1937, at her family home in Pierrepont to Mary Harmey and John Frederick Barnhart. Born just after the great depression, she lived a childhood of the humblest beginnings, and this deeply blue-collar existence became the foundation of a kind, generous and hardworking nature that would stiffen her stride her entire life. Educated in North Country schools, she graduated as a Canton Bear in 1956. As a teen, she did odd jobs but found satisfaction and her penchant for snazzy attire working at Barbour's Men's and Ladies' Shop in Canton, NY.

Always an elegant woman, the bombshell beauty Ginny, on August 9, 1956, was crowned Miss Canton under the watchful eye of heart throb boyfriend Bob. They met when they were nine, their first date was at the movies, and on April 20, 1957, childhood best pals, sandlot ball teammates, elementary school crushes and high school sweethearts were married at the First Baptist Church in Canton, NY. This was the first greatest day of the rest of their lives and as the speed of life quickened all told they celebrated 65 years of marriage just before Bob's death.

Bob's first job out of college took them to Corning, NY and then on to Albany, collecting three kids along the way: first Debbie, then Bobby and then Mike. Home is where your mother is, and for this couple that was back here in Northern New York. They moved back to Brier Hill, added a fourth child Scott, eventually moving one last time to "Brockview" on Chapman Point, Morristown in the early 80's where they lived for over
40 years. They loved the north country landscapes, the kindness and comfort that people like them shared and their most cherished view of the St. Lawrence River.

The north country will remember them for the love, devotion, acceptance, and forgiveness that their relationship represented. Ginny made Bob, the best man he could be, and she championed him, cared for him, fixed his hair, held his hand, and loved him more than anything in the world. There was no Bob without Ginny and be assured a few springs ago when she lost the only man she ever loved, things never would be the same.

But along the way Ginny inspired the value of education in her children, joined the Order of the Eastern Stars, sold some real estate and baked pies for the Brier Hill Bullhead Supper. She swam in Sylvia Lake, overfed all the neighborhood rugrats and tried smoking a pipe once. She operated her own snowmobile into her 80's, kept a well-worn bible close to her heart and had a great relationship with God. She became a good bowler and had a hard flat serve in tennis. She teased out her hair to look like Dr. J for a spell, was competitive, athletic, and really liked nachos. She skated the Rideau canal, cheered the Yankees to ten world series, loved to read Ludlum, was a movie nut and proudly had Canton native Hal Cohen's autograph. She ran Brier Hill Bottled Gas and even delivered fuel all over the North Country until her son's learned how to drive. She
made jam, breaded perch, had too many shoes and threw logs on the fire. She always had cash, a chapstick, a golf pencil and paper in her bra. She fancied an occasional pantsuit in the 70's and wore moo-moo's and legwarmers year round since the 90's.

She liked to split a beer, do a puzzle, have a glass of wine here and there and always tried to win the last trick in Euchre. She managed to steal the coveted Wimpy Sauce recipe and freely gave it to others. Mastered the banana split dessert, fermented some terrible dandelion wine with best pals Willy and Myrtis and made the best version of the Grand View Salad known to all. She wore Eternity perfume making it live up to its
name, made great bread and donuts and cooked a good prime rib. She loved to shop, and lavish others. She feared being a bit short, had too many of most things and was willing to share. She coached from the sidelines of sporting fields for decades, always stopped at McDonalds on the way home and loved a good chef. She travelled to Europe, cautiously skied the green trails of our country's best ski resorts yet was just as
happy with a piece of pie at a diner in Black Lake. She laughed at Bill Stalder's jokes, swung her golf clubs left-handed, said "I love you' with sincerity and always waved goodbye. Her larder was four freezers full, and curated a pantry stuffed with oodles of food. She tagged her own buck at Rainbow, cooked her own fish from the river, pickled Barb's vegetables and arranged Lois's flowers. She took a shot at making Mrs.
Perretta's pasta, owned a cannoli maker, ate piles of candy, and always had a dozen jugs of snacks on their kitchen island. She could stand on her head in her 60's, was stubborn, had huge nostrils that flared when she was mad and always had enough chairs for everyone to sit.

For many, Ginny was just the better half of Bob and Gin, but the truth is, she lived a vibrant, exciting, and diverse life taking on challenges and trying new things. I am sure that for anyone that knew her, these things resonate, however, she was so much more than any single thing she did, she was content in the journey, happily joined in with that impish smile and always tried to show up.

Yet above all, to the hundreds of people that referred to her as Nan, she represented love and abundance; this was the era of her life that she thrived. Virginia M. Barnhart had a rough start in life; she went without, endured, and survived. The challenges of parenting spirited children of the 70's for then Ginny LaClair ushered in interesting times, notable to many and for some hard to forget. But once her first grandchild Robbie coined her Nanny, then Nan, her calling was clear, and her true self emerged.

Virginia M. Barnhart LaClair was soft, kind, endearing, generous and an inciteful lady. She ended most negative thoughts with "that's enough of that" and swallowed hardship for the betterment of others. She was ferociously loyal to her kin, and was always tender and warm, but the expressions on Nan's face when she was around her grand and great grandchildren glowed of satisfaction and love, interest, and connection. A child at heart, she was an easy second ice cream, or an extra soda or two. Even in the last days of her life, filled with the exhaustion of her 87 years, when a grand or great, came into the room, she would rally, she would swoon, and she would smile her brightest smile.

Her legacy will not be her ample collection of things, or her recipes in a box. It will not be in bowling trophies or photos on the wall. Long after the moss ages the gravestone that she will forever share with her best pal, her legacy will be felt, understood and will live on in the laughter, memories and vitality of those that called her Nan for generations to come. A grandson that is a chef, granddaughters that are great mothers; some make their careers to look after kids in need, some offer counsel or guidance, while others serve others in healthcare. Greats that skate and others that fish, some love to travel, and others like to hunt. They will share their beer, and all love snacks and life and love one another. They will sit a bit and share their candy. They are kind and happy, most have full lips and smile her impish smile. These children of her children are her legacy and Nan's influence, and presence will always accompany them along their way and quietly guide them.

So, we recommend that wherever you are; add a chair for another and stock enough snacks for all guests. Throw a log on the fire, a pot on the stove or grab yourself a beer. There is soda on the porch, some nuts in a bowl; gather around. Tell stories, laugh, live, accept, and repeat. Life is great, life is fast. Live your life in abundance; share, love and do your best to be kind. Bye for now. Nan.

The family would like to give special thanks to the volunteers of Morristown Fire Department for their years of loyalty and kindness, to her many caregivers at her home and to St. Joseph's Nursing home. Your love, kindness, professionalism, and character shined the brightest lighting her path in her darkest of hours.