Person:Virginia Binns (1)

RELIGION: Christian - Religious Society of Friends.

OCCUPATION: Teacher, MR of DD Citizens.

RESIDENCES: Harrisville, Harrison Co., Ohio, USA. Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana, USA. Wilmington, Clinton Co., Ohio, USA.

OBITUARY: Virginia Louise Binns Kelsey Smith, 85, of 925 New Garden Rd., Greensboro, NC, died Tuesday morning, June 8, 2004. A memorial service will be held July 3rd at 2:30 at the Wilmington Friends Church. Virginia was born July 13, 1918, the daughter of James Howard & Edith Steer Binns, in Adena, OH. Virginia grew up in Richmond, IN, graduated from Olney Friends School, Barnesville, OH and from Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH. She received her Honorary Doctor degree in Human Reconstruction from Wilmington College in 1978. Virginia was a member of Wilmington Friends Church, Wilmington, OH and First Friends Meeting, Greensboro, NC. Virginia began her teaching career in Yellow Springs, OH in 1940, continued to teach in Titusville, FL and then was a teacher and principal of Dependents School, American Samoa. Virginia was the first teacher of a class for the mentally handicapped children in Clinton Co., OH in 1958. She then became the Superintendent of The Clinton County Board of Mental Retardation in 1960. She became the principal of Town and Country School in 1960 and later developed the Nike Center in 1972. She was one of five chosen to write the first State Curriculum Guide for the Mentally Retarded. Virginia retired as the Superintendent of the Board of Developmental Disabilities in 1982. The Smith House in Wilmington, OH is named after her. Virginia volunteered at the Clinton County Historical Museum, Prairieview Apartments, Wilmington Friends Church, and most recently at the Guilford College Hege Library in the Quaker Room. She was a trustee of the NC Friends Historical Society. She helped organize the Clinton County Genealogical Society, was a Girl Scout and Leader, organizing scouting in Titusville, FL. In 2000 she was Outstanding Woman of the Year in Clinton Co. Virginia married Louis E. Kelsey in 1942 and he died in 1944. From this marriage, Karolyn Kelsey was born. Then in 1947, Virginia married Richard Z. Smith and Howard C. Smith and Sara E. Smith were born. Virginia is survived by Karolyn Huffman of Baltimore, MD, husband, John, Howard Smith of Cherry Hill, NJ, wife, Cheryl, and Sara Sheldon, of Greensboro, NC, husband Wilson. Her grandchildren are Laura L. Reynolds, Stephen M. Huffman, Justin B. Smith, Adam B. Smith, Rebecca R. Gibboney, Wilson M. Sheldon, III, Christopher J. Sheldon, and Rachel R. Sheldon. She has 4 great-grandchildren. Virginia is predeceased by both husbands. Virginia is also survived by her two sisters, Ruth Gordon and Gladys Trousdale, both of CA. Memorials may be made to The Clinton Co. Historical Society, 149 E. Locust St., Wilmington, OH, 45177 or to The Residential Advisory Council Fund, 4425 State Rt. 730, Wilmington, OH 45177 to benefit all developmentally disabled individuals in Clinton Co.

INITIAL_SOURCE: Letter from Virginia.

1. ↑ Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopaedia of American Quaker Genealogy. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company Inc. 1994 (Reproduced on Broderbund Software's Family Archive CD #192).)
   Vol IV p.176.
2. ↑ Virginia L. Smith (née Binns). Descendants of David Binns and Margaret Holden. (A copy of the names of this family from her father's research.)
   Type-written listing.
3. ↑ Sara Sheldon (née Smith). e-mail letter (Sara). (General exchange of family information).
4.   Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopaedia of American Quaker Genealogy. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company Inc. 1994 (Reproduced on Broderbund Software's Family Archive CD #192).)
   Vol. IV p.176.
5.   Virginia L. Smith (née Binns). Descendants of David Binns and Margaret Holden. (A copy of the names of this family from her father's research.)
   Type-written listing.
6.   Sara Sheldon (née Smith). e-mail letter (Sara). (General exchange of family information).