Virginia 'Ginny' Lee Swinderman

Virginia Lee 'Ginny' Swinderman, 72, of 323 E. 20th St., Dover, Ohio died Wednesday, September 1, 1999 at 8:30 AM in Aultman Hospital at Canton following a year long battle with cancer followed by stroke on August 20.

She was a private vocal music teacher for over 50 years.  She was Sacred choir and graduate choir director at St. John's United Church of Christ in Dover having produced numerous cantatas for the church calendar year and special seasons.  She had also previously been employed by the Ohio License Bureau, East Ohio Gas Company, Shenango Penn Mold during World War II inspecting the inside of artillery barrels.  

Born October 6, 1926 in Dover, she was the daughter of the late Walter C. 'Dutch' and Dorothy L. 'Dot' Bricker Hisrich.

She was granted a Lifetime Certified Ohio Music Teachers Assn. Membership in 1989 where she was certified for over 40 years.  Tuscarawas County Senior Fortnightly Music Club since 1948, Counselor for the Tuscarawas County Junior Fortnightly Music Club for 12 years.  She was a soloist and member of the St. John's UCC Senior Chancel Choir at Dover for over 60 years.  She was frequently a solist at many area churches and also performed at the old Elks Mistrels, fundraisers and musical variety programs for the Senior Citizens of Tuscarawas County and Dover Ave. PTA.  She was soloist and chorus member of the Tuscarawas Philharmonic Orchestra and chorus serving as Past President of Philharmonic Society and board member.  She was an accompanist for Dover High students competing in state solo and ensemble contests.  Virginia studied private voice with the Stewarts from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh following graduation from Dover High School in 1944.  The pinnacle of her vocal career reached when singing in six operas having second leads in La Traviata, Madame Butterfly, and The Merry Widow;  she sang in numerous operas in northeast Ohio, Canton, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.  She gave up a New York Metropolitan Opera Career to raise her family in Dover.  She also was selected as a winner in three appearances on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout show.  She was guest lecturer at Malone College and other locations throughout N.E. Ohio in voice pedagogy; served as a counselor at Pilgrim Hills church camp and did music programs for the vacation bible school at St. Johns.  She served on the board of the Salvation Army Auxiliary and Silver Tea.  She also worked for the Tuscarawas Board of Elections as Precinct Presiding Judge over 25 years.  She worked for numerous Bond issue campaigns for the Dover City Schools.  She was an ardent Democrat working for numerous national, state, and local campaigns.  She was a founding member of the K.I.P. bridge club and the Dover High Band Boosters and Mothers Club.  She was a winnerof the old Cleveland 'One o'clock  Club' singing and appearing on TV.  She sang on radio station WTAM in Cleveland.

Ginny was an avid reader, Notre Dame, Cleveland Indians, and 49'ers Fan.  She was a contributing member of the National Wildlife Federation and numerous other national wildlife support groups.  She won numerous awards for her floral arrangements at the Dover Garden Club shows.  She enjoyed creating craft arrangements for music club banquets.  She was an avid wildlife and animal lover and cared for many domestic and wild animals at her home.  

She is survived by her husband C. Dale Swinderman with whom she celebrated 53 years of marriage on May 18.

Three sons Bradley Dale, Corey Brian (Anne), Brett Wynn Swinderman all of Dover
One Daughter  Lynne Christine (David) Ledford of Medina
One Sister  Billie Jean Poole of Canton
Four grandchildren  Tony, Kevin, and Angie Mick and Kyle Swinderman

She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard (Dick) Hisrich.

Funeral Services will be held Monday, Sept. 6, 1999 at 1 PM in the St. John's United Church of Christ in Dover with Rev. Steven Daniels officiating.  Graveside Services will be held Wednesday at 1 PM in the Maple Grove Cemetery at Dover.  Friends can call at the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home in Dover Sunday from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Virginia Swinderman Music Scholarship, c/o St. John's United Church of Christ in Dover.