FARMINGTON – Virginia “Jinny” Hunter (Peck) Stinchfield of Avon, died peacefully Thursday night, March 3, at Franklin Memorial Hospital. She was 91 years young.

She was born on June 12, 1913, in Providence, R.I., daughter of William B. and Lucy (Hartwell) Peck. She attended schools in Providence and later at Mountain Lakes, N.J., where the family eventually moved. She attended Wheaton College and worked at Bell Labs in New York.

During World War II, she was a certified ground instructor for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, teaching young pilots how to navigate. Before she was born, her parents would visit this beautiful area of Maine, spending summers at a boarding house on Tory Hill in Phillips, owned and run by Theron Hunter. Her parents were clearly impressed with this man, as they named their youngest daughter after him. Little did Jinny know that she would eventually marry a man also named after Mr. Hunter, Theron “Stin” Stinchfield. His mother, Myrtie, worked at the boarding home for Mr. Hunter and was equally inspired by him. Jinny and Stin would eventually meet over 20 years later, fall in love and marry on July 9, 1935.

She was a very creative and strong woman, always optimistic, never looking back, only forward. She loved flowers, especially wild daisies and of course, her constant loyal companion, her cat, Dipsy. She supported her husband’s long career as a high school principal while raising two sons. When he retired, they had a wonderful 18 years together before his passing in 1990, after 55 years of marriage. They traveled to Europe, lived in Florida during Maine’s winters, and spent summers back on the Avon farm, where Stin grew up. The one hobby that occupied most of their time was golf. They loved the sport and played every chance they could. Over the last 10 years or so, when she needed a cane to walk, her trusty old golf putter was always at her side. She delighted in the frequent comments from other golfers about what a great idea that was.

Surviving are her sons, Richard H. Stinchfield and his wife, Lynne, of Fort Collins, Colo., and David R. Stinchfield and his wife, Vicki, of Avon; granddaughters, Ginger Garff and her husband, Mark, of Seattle, Wash., Holly Stinchfield of Fort Collins, Colo., and Wynter Stinchfield of Somerville, Mass.; grandson, Ben Stinchfield of Avon; a sister-in-law, Marjie Stinchfield of Farmington; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by two sisters, Ruth Salmon and Margaret Fuller.