Virginia “Ginny” Cordray Harrington passed away at age 67 on January 30, 2021. A Los Altos, CA resident of 37 years, she was at home with her family at her side after a challenging battle with stomach cancer.
Ginny was born in Philadelphia, PA to Arden and Richard Cordray, the second of five children. She grew up in California, spending much of her childhood in Palo Alto. She graduated high school in 1971 from Northfield School for Girls in Massachusetts. She went on to attend college at UC Santa Barbara, during which time she spent a year living abroad as an exchange student in Spain, an experience that led her to develop a love of the Spanish language and a curiosity about culture. This would later shape her career, as well as her travel interests, which would take her to various countries across the world. After studying abroad, Ginny completed her Bachelor’s degree in Spanish, graduating in 1975. She then went on to earn a teaching credential and began working as an elementary school teacher.
Ginny met Roy Harrington through folk dancing in 1980. They were married in 1982 and had three children. Ginny left the workforce to dedicate herself fully to raising her children. When her children were adults, Ginny returned to teaching: volunteering at low-income schools, substitute teaching, and tutoring local students in Spanish.