Tuesday, April 7, 2015 8:40 am

ROCHESTER - Virginia Runnels, 84, of Melrose Dr died April 2, 2015, at home after a long illness. Her family was with her.

Born September 2, 1930 in Melrose, Mass., she is the daughter of Clayton and Edith (Day) Smith, the fifth child of 11.

Virginia has lived in Rochester for the past 15 years after moving from Acton Maine. She is a graduate of Goodwill Academy in Hinkley, Maine. She married Robert Runnels Sr in 1951 and they raised their 6 children in Milton, N.H. She worked for many years as a molder for Colby Footwear in Rochester, N.H. before retiring with her husband in Acton. She enjoyed gardening, history, was an avid reader, loved traveling, and at 84 she set up her own Facebook account. She was a wealth of knowledge in the history of the state and New England, and inspired the same in her children and grandchildren.

Virginia, "Ginny", is survived by her son Robert D Runnels, Jr of Acton, Me, and his wife Ruth, her daughters; Lynette Runnels of Rochester, Brenda Eveleth of Rochester, Tammy Kerdus and her husband Dan of Union, Toni Belmont and her husband Tim of Barrington, Tracie Runnels of Rochester, her 11 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild, a brother, Rex Smith, and her sisters; Catherine Munn, Eleanor Chambers, Jeanette Goodfield. She is predeceased by her husband Robert Dean Runnels.