VIRGINIA NICHOLS KREIS, 78
Virginia Nichols Kreis, age 78, died peacefully on January 16, 2018 at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with her family by her side. Virginia was born on April 13, 1939, in Newton, MA, the daughter of John and Doris Nichols of Dedham, MA.
Virginia, known to friends and acquaintances as Ginny, was raised in Newton Centre and spent summers on Cape Cod in Harwich Port racing Wiannos on the Nantucket Sound with her eventual life long friends. She attended The Tenacre School, Beaver Country Day, Bradford College, and Katherine Gibbs. She later earned her Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College where she prepared for a career in addiction counseling. She worked for 12 years helping alcoholics and drug addicts find their way out of addiction and into recovery or a better way of life at the Faulkner Hospital. In her later years she became involved in various workshops and women's’ groups where she learned a great deal and made lasting friendships. She particularly became involved in helping women in strife and was a generous donator to On The Rise which provides services for homeless, abused and struggling women.
Ginny is survived by her son, John Nichols Kreis and his wife, Caroline Savory-Kreis of South Portland, ME, her daughter Phylliss Kreis Hill of Wellesley, MA, and her son George Kreis and his wife, Leanne, of Crownsville, MD, two nieces, Jennifer Nichols Popp, Ana Tiawatha and one nephew, Jeff Nichols; and grandchildren Phillip and Katie Kreis of Crownsville, MD, Audrey and Graham Hill of Wellesley, MA, and Haven and Charlotte Savory-Kreis, of South Portland, ME, and a number of other relatives and close friends.
Ginny will be most remembered for her humor and would often roll her eyes and say, “If you can’t t laugh then what’s the point?” Those who knew her would often fall victim to uncontrollable laughter in the absolute worst of circumstances, where one should most definitely not laugh! She would want us all to know not to take it all so seriously.
There will be a celebration of her life for immediate family members and friends announced in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent in her name to On The Rise, Inc., 341 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139, www.ontherise.org.