HIRAM- On July 26th, 2023, Virginia ‘Ginny’ Vigue Allen passed away peacefully with loving family by her side on July 26, 2023. Virginia was born on February 26th, 1927, in Wakefield, Massachusetts, one of twelve children born to Edward Vigue and Margery J. Curry Vigue.
Virginia was a student at Alfred and Limerick Elementary schools, and began working at Limerick Yarn Mills as a teenager, and also packed apples at a local orchard. On July 25th, 1946, Virginia married Rufus “Harold” Allen. Together, they had one daughter, Barbara.
In the 1950’s, Harold and Virginia moved to Highland Farms in Cornish, Maine, where Harold was hired to work on the poultry farm. Virginia was a homemaker, and provided childcare for the Pike family, a part of her life she enjoyed very much and often told stories about. In her spare time, she would help Harold with his daily chores around the farm. In 1966, Harold and Virginia moved to Hiram, where she resided until her death.
Virginia spent the next chapter of her life working in their beautiful vegetable and flower gardens, something they both enjoyed and were very proud of. She was a wonderful homemaker, canning vegetables from the garden, making jam, baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and applesauce cake for many family events and birthdays, cooking dinners for her family, and doting on her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Together they raised chickens, had horses, and a very spoiled Cocker Spaniel. Virginia was also an extremely competitive card player and Chinese Checkers player, competing against her grandchildren and great grandchildren- she did not like to lose! She enjoyed music, and was fond of Big Joe Polka, the Virginia Reel, and many others, as well as TV shows Judge Judy, Wheel of Fortune, and Days of our Lives, to name a few.
Virginia was not one to sit still, nor did she like being home alone when Harold was working. When possible, she would accompany him to work, most notably at Sacopee Valley Jr. Sr. High School, where she would work alongside him in the evenings. Her value and work ethic were quicky realized by the school administration, and they soon began paying her for her time, as well.
Virginia enjoyed watching the high school basketball games, going for rides, getting ice cream, and shopping – she always received many gift cards for birthday and Christmas, as she liked to shop, but didn’t enjoying parting with her money quite as much. She also had a great love of family, enjoying annual family reunions, visits from her family and friends, and always loved seeing the children. She made frequent phone calls to her family, ending each call with ‘Well, I don’t know of any other news,’ and always looked forward to the next call.
Virginia is survived by her daughter, Barbara Thompson and husband, Edward; grandson Dana Thompson and wife Anne; granddaughter Stacey Allen and husband Paul; great grandsons Daniel Thompson and fiancé Hayley Lefebrve, Nicholas Anderson and significant other Inez Day, Justin Thompson and significant other McKenna Roberts, Luke Ranger; great granddaughter, Karie Anderson and significant other Jakob Cartonio; brother Ellston Smith; sister-in-law Doreen Allen, and many nieces and nephews.
Virginia is predeceased by her parents and stepfather Fred Tarbox; her beloved husband Harold; sisters Josephine Vigue, Beatrice Cote, Bertha Vigue, Marceline Pier, Dorothy Smith; brothers Fred Vigue, Edward Vigue, Jr., Eugene Vigue, Sheridan Vigue, and Richard Vigue.
A graveside service will be held on Sunday, August 6th, at 1PM at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Hiram.
Online condolence messages can be submitted at the Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home website, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Virginia's name to the Sacopee Scholars. Please mail all checks to Sacopee Valley High School, Superintendent's Office, 137 South Hiram Road, Hiram, Maine 04041. Please make a notation that the funds are made in honor of both Virginia and Harold Allen.