Virginia Henry “Ginny” Kingsolver, 83, of Carlisle died peacefully in her home on Monday, July 1, 2013, after a long illness. She was born in Lexington on Nov. 20, 1929 to A.R. and Nellie Henry, and graduated from Lafayette High School and the University of Kentucky. She had recently celebrated her 63rd wedding anniversary with her husband, Dr. Wendell R. Kingsolver, her sweetheart of 70 years. She worked with him to start his family medical practice in Carlisle, where they raised their family.
Ginny and Wendell together loved the natural world, and loved to travel together to see new habitats as well as preserving habitat in Kentucky. Ginny was a lifelong birdwatcher, inspiring many young birders, and served as president of the Kentucky Ornithological Society; she was also a board member of Kentucky chapters of The Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club. She was a lifelong Girl Scout, and served as president of the Wilderness Road Girl Scout Council. Ginny and Wendell were among the founding members of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Carlisle, and she served as the choir director and the first woman elder in the church.
Ginny supported volunteer efforts in and beyond her community. She was Director of Volunteer Services at the Nicholas County Hospital for 20 years, and served for over a decade as president of the Nicholas County Development Corporation at Lake Carnico.
She loved flowers, and seasonal visits to Sanibel Island. Ginny said her most fulfilling work was her family life, and she delighted in her extended family and friendships.
She was preceded in death by her dear sister, Lenora Isenhour, and is survived by her brother, John Henry. Ginny’s family, remembering her with love, includes her husband, Wendell; her son, Rob (Paula) Kingsolver; daughters Barbara (Steven Hopp) Kingsolver, and Ann (Mark Whitaker) Kingsolver; and grandchildren Ashley Campbell, Drew (Breanna) Kingsolver, Camille (Reid Snow) Kingsolver, Lily Kingsolver, and David Whitaker.