JAN 13, 1930 – JAN 19, 2024
Virginia Mae “Ginni” Romaker, age 94, died peacefully in her daughter’s home in Ann Arbor on Friday, January 19, 2024, surrounded by family. Burial took place on Friday, February 2, 2024.
Born on January 13, 1930, in Toledo, Ohio, to Harley Marion and Mildred Beatrice (Bartlett) Varner, Virginia had one older brother, Donald. She graduated from DeVilbiss High School (President of the Girls’ Athletic Club) in 1948.
In the summer of 1947, 17-year-old Ginni Mae spotted a good-looking guy at Centennial Terrace, a popular local swimming quarry near Sylvania, Ohio. “I’m going to marry that guy,” she said to her girlfriend. Four years later, Ginni and Robert “Bob” Romaker were married. Over the course of 47 years together, they lived in six different states (Virginia, Colorado, Ohio, South Dakota, California, and Michigan) and had four daughters. When their second daughter was born with severe developmental disabilities in 1957, Ginni and Bob were advised to place their child in an institution, but they chose to care for her at home, where she thrived.
In 1968, the Romakers settled in Ann Arbor, where Bob worked as an editor and later wrote a human-interest column for the Ann Arbor News. Avid gardeners, Ginni and Bob joined the Huron Valley Rose Society. They enjoyed competing in the annual Rose Show and won Queen and Best of Show categories in 1982. In the summers, they were also regulars at the Buhr Park pool, where Ginni continued swimming laps into her 70s.
When their daughters were older, Ginni worked as a bank teller and secretary. She was also active with Community Residence Corporation, advocating for improved care of disabled group home residents (their disabled daughter moved to a group home setting at age 30).
Both animal lovers, Bob and Ginni adopted many stray dogs (and some cats) over the years. In addition to gardening and swimming, they also enjoyed travel and visited many beaches around the world. Some of their adventures included cruising through the Panama Canal and releasing baby sea turtles into the ocean in Australia. After Bob passed away in 1998, Ginni continued to travel with her oldest daughter, visiting the Grand Canyon and snorkeling with stingrays in the Caribbean. She also enjoyed art (favorites include Van Gogh and Monet), films, and walks around the neighborhood with family and friends, stopping to pet passing dogs.
Although Ginni endured many tragedies in her life, including losing a daughter (to breast cancer) and an infant grandson, she still focused on the positive. One of her great joys was being involved with her three grandchildren. She relished spending time at the pool and cheering the kids on at baseball games and track meets. She also provided generous financial contributions to their college funds.
Even though Ginni experienced some memory loss in her final years, she still loved to go to the park or pool on a warm day, tap her foot to Mr. B’s piano, or watch Jeopardy! and 60 Minutes with family. We are grateful that she continued to recognize us and was able to communicate clearly.
When Bob and Ginni were dating, Ginni would frequently take the bus on Fridays from her dorm at Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) to meet Bob at Notre Dame University. Bob would write letters to her every week in advance, detailing their upcoming plans for the weekend. We imagine that on Friday, January 19, 2024, Ginni left us to board the bus for South Bend to meet up with Bob.
Ginni is survived by her daughters Rosemary and Teresa Romaker, and Rebecca (Stephen) Barnes of Ann Arbor; grandchildren Aleczander, Andrew, and Elizabeth Barnes; and son-in-law Mark Baumgartner of Raleigh, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Romaker; daughter Ann Marie (Mark) Baumgartner of Portage, MI; grandson Stephen Jacob Barnes; brother Don Varner of Toledo, OH; and parents Harley and Mildred Varner of Toledo, OH.
Memorial donations in Ginni’s honor may be directed to the Humane Society of Huron Valley or Arbor Hospice.