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Virginia Ann (Murray) Archer
Pittsburgh, PA
June 3, 2022
Congestive heart failure
Born in Newell, PA, the youngest child to Janet (Smith) and George Murray, who had two prior children, Willis and Mildred.
Aside from her family, Virginia’s favorite childhood memories were “re-teaching” her peers their lessons in the cloak room at school and going to Methodist Church camp at Jumonville. A graduate of Brownsville High School in 1947, Virginia left the family tradition of becoming a teacher and took a train to Pittsburgh with her best friend and cousin Georgia Guseman to get a Business Degree at Duff’s School of Business. She went on to work at the University of Pittsburgh until she met her future husband and World War II Veteran, Bruce H. Archer, Jr. They met at Mike’s Lunch in Mt. Oliver when he served her a giant ham salad sandwich. Six children later they celebrated 51 years of marriage. They resided in the family home previously owned by Jenny “Gim” Archer whom they cared for in their home until she passed.
Virginia loved nothing more than holding and rocking a baby and she had plenty of opportunities with her first four, Janet, Bruce, Linda, and Nancy from 1949-1953. Seven years later she had Karen and seven years after than she had Jill. Soon the grandchildren began, first with Janet’s Eric and Lisa, followed by Karen’s Amanda, Kameron, and Marlena. Jill was next with Brendan and Spencer. But Virginia wasn’t finished holding babies! Lisa had the first great-grandchildren Alayzia, Mikah, Jasmine, and Nico. Amanda had Maxwell. Later came the babies that Virginia only saw through pictures and Facetime due to isolation with the rampant COVID virus. Amanda had Wesley, Mikah had Lakelynn, Nico had Nova and Nico, Jr., and Jasmine had Keshaun, Jr. Marlena soon followed with baby Jack. If you’re keeping score, that’s 6 children, 7 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren! Although Virginia’s 92 trips around the sun have come to an end, all these babies were loved by Virginia.
When Virginia wasn’t cooking or doing laundry, you could find her gardening, pulling out an encyclopedia for a homework project, reading a book, playing family games, building a puzzle, working a crossword, knitting, crocheting, and crafting. For years Virginia sewed dresses for her daughters and clothes for their dolls. She loved continuing her education with sewing, genealogy, and writing classes. Binoculars and bird books were always near the window where she overlooked the highpoints of Pittsburgh. Her greatest accomplishment beyond her family was her research in genealogy. She left behind box after box of connected dots of family history. She loved the history and stories of where we came from and always wanted to know the newest chapter-where everyone was going. Virginia Murray Archer, you certainly left your own special mark on the genealogy of your progeny, and you will be missed by everyone that bloomed from the over-stuffed ham sandwich!
Virginia outlived her parents, siblings, two nieces, her husband Bruce, his siblings and parents, and sadly her daughter Nancy. With God’s Grace she is once again at their sides catching them up on what they missed.
We love you, Mum, Grandma, and GiGi, may you rest in peace.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make donations to a charity near and dear to Virginia’s heart that will take care of her beloved wild birds:
Tamarack Wildlife Center
2160 Stull Road
Saegertown, PA 16433
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of
Virginia Archer, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store (https://obits.kyperfuneralhome.com/obituary/virginia-archer/flowers?campaign=obituaryThemed-flowers-textLink-obitText).
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