Mary Virginia Bynum

Ginny Bynum, our sweet Southern Belle with the radiant smile, “slipped the surly bonds of earth” peacefully on Sept. 19, 2013, surrounded by her Clatsop Care angels, who did all they could to make her passing comfortable.

Virginia, who later took on the nickname “Ginny,” was born Oct. 16, 1918, in Silsbee, TX, near her childhood home in Wiergate, TX. Her parents were Mary Hill Thomas and Robert Burns Cameron, the engineer for the small logging town in E. Texas. Ginny graduated valedictorian from Burkeville H.S. and attended Louisiana Tech, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1939. After graduation, she moved to Shreveport and worked as executive secretary for the head of the Coca-Cola Company. While working there, she met and married Winfred W. “Weenie” Bynum June 5, 1941.

With her new family she returned to Shreveport after the war and became a very active homemaker. The coffee pot was always on and neighbors and friends were always welcome. She was an avid gardener, pianist, bridge player, scout leader and church worker, serving in many aspects of lay ministry at Broadmoor United Methodist Church. She loved birds, rainbows, flowers and studying the Bible.

In the early 1980s, she relocated to Astoria to be near her daughter. She worked at the City of Astoria, Sylvan Learning Center, Red Cross, United Way, KMUN and as a foster grandparent at Astor School. She finally retired at 85, enjoying her river view apartment and staying active in stamp collecting and calligraphy which she learned from the late Bill Gunderson.

She was a member of the Astoria First United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School and served as librarian. Ginny was a sincere, good soul. She was known as a “real lady” in all senses of that word, and will be greatly missed by many, especially her Clatsop Care family and her only child, Mary Ann.

Ginny was preceded in death by her best friend, Betty Phillips, a little sister, Mary Hill, who died at 5, and a stillborn daughter, Brenda Phyllis Bynum. She is survived by her only daughter, Mary Ann Ylipelto and husband, Antti, of Astoria, one brother, Robert Burns Cameron and his wife, Sue, nieces Kimberly Sue Cameron (John) Earl, Dorian Kay (Bruce) Miller, all of Fort Worth, and Donna (Richard) Marx of Holiday, FL, and a nephew, George (Reecie) Robinson of Hamilton, GA, and numerous great-nieces and nephews, including the extended family of the Ylipelto family tree.

Ginny loved to laugh and she loved to dance.

A celebration of life will be held at the Astoria First United Methodist Church Oct. 5, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. with a reception following at the church. Her life will also be celebrated at Clatsop Care’s traditional memorial service Wed., Oct. 16, at 2:00 p.m. It would have been her 95th birthday.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Clatsop Care Memorial Fund or to Astoria First United Methodist Church.

Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. An online guest book may be signed at www.caldwellsmortuary.com