CASTINE – Virginia “Ginny” Brank Kneisel, 64, died Jan. 9, 2007, in Norwalk, Conn., after a brief illness. She was born Dec. 5, 1942, in New York City, the daughter of the late Ruth and Frank Kneisel. Ginny graduated from Wellesley High School in Massachusetts in 1961 and then studied opera at the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1965. After graduation, Ginny performed with various singing groups in and around the Boston area for many years. She also taught music at Thayer Academy, Braintree, Mass., the Adams School, Castine, and schools in Blue Hill and Brooksville. In the 1990s, Ginny was a substance abuse counselor in Newport, R.I., New Canaan, Conn., and at the Open Door Recovery Center, Ellsworth. After returning to Castine permanently, she cared for her ailing mother while also giving private voice lessons. One of Ginny’s most cherished accomplishments was the organization of the wonderful fundraising event called Gala Musical, which took place in Castine in 2003, 2004 and 2006. With these performances, Ginny gave the community the gift of music which she so loved herself. Ginny leaves behind her brother, Frank, and his wife, Mary, of Westport, Conn., and Castine; nieces and nephews, Geoffrey and his wife, Sara, Lindsay and her husband, Richard Gagnon, and their twin sons, Brady and Andrew, and David and his fiance, Caitlin Bortolot. A memorial service will be held in Castine in the spring at a date to be announced by Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home, 28 Elm St., Bucksport. Interment will be at Castine Cemetery, Castine. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ginny’s name to the Castine Health Center, P.O. Box 198, Castine, ME 04421 or the Trinitarian Congregational Parish Church of Castine, P.O. Box 108, Castine, ME 04421.
VIRGINIA BRANK KNEISEL
