Virginia L. "Ginny" Carlyon Obituary (1932 - 2019)

Virginia L. "Ginny" Carlyon, 87 of Normal, passed away at 7:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Sugar Creek Alzheimer's Special Care Center in Normal. A Celebration of Life will be from 3:00-6:00 p.m., Sunday at Kemp 208, 208 N. Main St., Morton, IL. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington is assisting the family with cremation arrangements. Ginny was born June 23, 1932 in Chicago, the daughter of Gordon Henry and Helena Elizabeth Burgmann Redfield, Sr. She married Clark R. Carlyon on August 19, 1949 in Hillsboro, MO. He died on September 14, 2010. Survivors include a daughter, Cathy (Geoff) Kemp of Tremont, a son, Steve (Kathy) Carlyon of Austin, TX; five grandchildren, Katie and Kristen Carlyon, Ben (Amanda) Kemp, Jason (Erin) Kemp and Lauri (Kalman) Nagy; eleven great grandchildren, Owen, Brooklyn, Eleanor and Teddy Kemp, Colin, Keely and Donovan Kemp, Lillian , Evalyn, Isabel and Charlotte Nagy; one brother, Gordon Redfield and one sister, Joan Terry. She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Carlyon. Ginny was a caregiver in every sense, whether it was caring for her family, friends, neighbors, or even strangers (who never stayed strangers for long to Ginny). She set a steadfast example to her family, and those around her, of love and devotion. Her home was a place of good food, good conversation, and great hospitality. Ginny had the unique talent of making whoever was in the room with her feel like they were the most important person-- you could feel it in her hugs, hear it in her words and see it in her actions. Her laugh, her spunk, her love for family and friends, will continue on through the lives she touched Cathy and the family would like to thank Transitions Hospice, the caring staff at Sugar Creek, but especially Lynn Doran, who was an angel through all of this.