Virginia Rau passed peacefully on April 6, 2023 after a long and productive life. She was born September 29, 1924, the middle daughter of Daisy (Frazier) and Christian Hansen of Belleville, NJ. While attending Douglass College she met Rutgers student, Gerard, and they married 2 years later on July 20, 1944 when he was on leave from the Air Force training to be a navigator. After Gerry completed his doctoral courses in Maryland they settled in Titusville, NJ by her parents. Together, while working regular jobs, they built a varied agricultural business and life settled in with four daughters.
Virginia worked in her father’s office before transitioning in 1962 to her career of 25 years in the research department at Educational Testing Service. The couple were members of the Pennington United Methodist Church for almost 70 years and were very involved with the church’s many programs, even starting a church campers club. By the time they retired Ginny and Gerry were traveling extensively – nationally and internationally – and spent winters in Florida becoming equally involved with a Kissimmee church. Virginia was dependably predictable when it came to helping whenever there was a need of any kind. She could be found working hands on helping church members, beloved coworkers or detecting a family member’s need. She and Gerry spent several months volunteering in Florida after Hurricane Andrew, but her most well defined service was represented in her 30 years (5000+ hours) volunteering with the 24 hour crisis intervention hotline, CONTACT. She loved gardening, traveling, camping, puzzles and reading but church involvements were always the priority.
The couple moved in 1995 to an adult community in Pennington. She lost her beloved husband of 61 years in 2005 but continued the tradition of attending his WWII B29 73rd Bomb Wing reunions and visiting extended family with her daughters. In 2013 she moved to an independent living unit of a progressive care community. She kept active visiting the patients in the rehab and advanced care units on a daily basis. Her daughters had dinner with her regularly with a stream of family visiting and providing care. In 2020 when the pandemic hit she moved in with her daughters in Edison and Titusville where she was cared for by family until her passing.
She was predeceased by her two sisters, Dorothy and Betty. She is survived by four daughters: Pat (Ken) Beckman, Judy (Jim) Fisher, Deb (Greg) Masey, Audrey (Spencer) Rockman; nine grandchildren: Jennifer, Jeremiah, Christine, Brianna, Mara, Michelle, Jeff, Katie and Loni; and seven great grandchildren: Allissa, Nathan, Collin, Charlotte, Olivia, Mason and Ethan.
Please gather in fellowship with the family Sunday, June 11, 2023 at 11:45AM in Pennington United Methodist Church, 60 South Main St. Pennington followed by a memorial service at 1:00PM.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Pennington United Methodist Church, 60 South Main St. Pennington, NJ 08534.
