Virginia Mae Shutt

Virginia “Ginny” Reither Shutt, a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother peacefully passed away on the morning of June 22, 2026, at the age of 100. Her final days were spent at Meadville Medical Center, embraced by the love of her family, after a short illness. Ginny was born on May 7, 1926, in Stoneboro, PA to James and Laura Steckler Reither. Growing up in the Depression era, she was a hard worker from a young age. She did laundry and ironed for the residents of Stoneboro and collected aluminum around town to earn spending money and be able to attend Church Camp in Emlenton, PA. She picked strawberries in the summer with her brother Jim, who was her best friend, and cared for her baby sister, Ann. As a teen she enjoyed being in the Stoneboro High School Orchestra and going to the Stoneboro Lake with her friends.

Ginny’s life was full of cherished memories. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert Glenn Shutt with whom she shared 66 years of marriage. After meeting at church camp and corresponding via letters throughout their teens and WWII, they were married on a snowy January 6, 1947. That day marked the beginning of a life filled with love and partnership. Together they built a family that became the cornerstone of Ginny’s life. After living and raising their family in Stoneboro, she and Bob retired to Lehigh Acres, FL where they spent their “golden years” building an active social life and attending their grandchildren’s activities. Throughout the years, Ginny and Bob enjoyed vacationing with family and friends, socializing with the Lehigh Acres Bicycle Club, and spending their summers in PA and KY. After Bob’s death in 2013, Ginny resided with her daughter Barb in Monticello, KY.

A graduate of Stoneboro High School, Ginny contributed to the war effort by working at Westinghouse Electric in Sharon, PA during WWII. As the war ended, her passion for beauty and creative nature led her to earn a degree in Cosmetology from the Maison Felix Beauty School in Pittsburgh, PA. She later worked as an Electrical Tester at Kemco, now Spang Power Electronics, for over 25 years. Ginny took pride in being one of the first 4 women hired to an all-male workforce and made many lifelong friends there.

Ginny was a woman of many talents and interests. She was an active member of the Presbyterian Young Adults, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Women’s Club of Lehigh, the Lehigh Bicycle Club, the Lehigh Senior Center, and the Contented Heart Quilt Guild of Monticello, KY. Furthering her life of service, Ginny served as a Presbyterian Church Elder at both her churches in Stoneboro and Lehigh Acres.

Aptly called just “Great’ by her great-granddaughters, Ginny was known for her bright smile and kind eyes which endeared her to everyone she met. She had a gift for making strangers feel like friends and was always ready to lend a helping hand. Ginny enjoyed tending to her orchid garden, packing lunch and going to the beach, cooking, and being engrossed in a book by her pool. Ginny was famous in her family for her “dough ball” meat dumpling and her homemade pie crust. She was an avid gardener and loved canning and preserving the vegetables she grew. Ginny also loved knitting and crocheting, sewing, flower arranging, painting, and machine embroidering with her daughter. She happily attended many craft classes throughout the years with her daughters and friends.

Ginny was preceded in death by her loving parents and her devoted husband Bob, her brother Jim Reither and her sister Ann Reither Jackson. She is survived by her two daughters; Barbara Smith and her husband Ron of Monticello, KY and Debra Bowman and her husband Jeff of Ft. Myers, FL. Ginny is also survived by her granddaughter Jayne Kepner and her husband Nate of Sandy Lake, PA and her grandson Jonathan Egger and his wife Janaea of Monticello, KY. Ginny’s joy was amplified by her great-granddaughters Zoe and Delaney Kepner who brought daily laughter and light into her life. Ginny is also survived by her step grandsons and their families as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at both The Heritage and The Villas at St. Paul’s and to Meadville Medical Center for their compassionate care during Ginny’s final days. Her family takes comfort in knowing that her last moments were filled with dignity and love.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to ROSE AND BLACK FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY, INC. 99 Franklin Street, Stoneboro.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lakeview Meals on Wheels, 7 Linden Street, Stoneboro, PA 16153.