Recently, a friend asked Virginia Corwin, what her secret was to longivity. She chuckled and quickly responded, “no drinking or smoking!” One may also include her family and friendships.
Her neighborhood is one of “forever” friendships. Neighbors exchange food, make quick phone calls to check on each other, watch each other’s homes, and sit with someone in times of need. When Virginia’s garage caught fire in 2013, she was taken to another neighbor’s home for safety. Family, neighbors, firefighters, and deputies were in and out of that home, causing one officer to ask if they were “all related.”
Born August 5, 1923, in Kalkaska, Virginia Bell Burt was the eldest of eight children to Floyd and Erva Burt. The family would eventually include six girls and two boys.
Virginia’s family moved to Flint when she was four years old. As children, she stated, “we made our own entertainment!” The girls played with jacks, hopscotch, and horseshoes. Her brothers and other neighborhood boys built stilts, and it wasn’t unusual for a boy to have a broken leg or arm from falling off the stilts.
In those days, there was no television. The family gathered around the radio, listening to Orphan Annie, the Lone Ranger, Ma Perkins, My Gal Sunday, and her dad’s Sunday night news program, with Walter Winchell. During Walter Winchell, there was to be no noise. It was an important time.
“School was strict, and respect was shown for the teacher. If someone misbehaved in school, there was more punishment at home. Students were afraid to be called to the principal’s office.” There was “order in classrooms and no interruptions.” Said Virginia. “Each school day began with the pledge of allegiance and short bible verse”.
Attending Flint Central High School, Virginia studied Latin, French, biology, chemistry, physics, history, home-economics, English and math, graduating in 1941.
Virginia began working for AC Sparkplugs in 1942. AC Sparkplugs was a division of GM however, instead of making vehicles, they produced Browning Machine guns for the Army and Navy, during WWII, proudly earning the Army-Navy E Award for their work. She retired after thirty-two years working for the company.
Virginia purchased her first car in 1946, a four door Ford. She recalled roads being plowed in those days, with a horse and buggy.
Virginia’s best friend was dating a young man whose brother had just returned home from the war. She introduced Eugene (Bud) to Virginia and the two were married January 15, 1949 in Flint. Bud and Virginia had two children, Eugene (Butch) Corwin and Denise Corwin. Virginia and Bud had been married 64 years at his passing June 29, 2013.
During the 1960’s, Bud and Virginia built a small cabin on the bank of the South Branch of the AuSableRiver. They eventually added on to the home and moved their family to Roscommon in 1976.
Bud and Virginia were members of the local chapter of Disabled American Veterans. Virginia is a 78-year member of the DAV. One of the local DAV projects the group worked on was the Roscommon County fairgrounds. (Current Fire Training grounds.) The group parked cars built the parking lot, and gate house. Bud and Virginia eventually became active on the fair board, raising funds for that venue. The couple also served as volunteers on the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary for ten years.
Her 100th birthday will be celebrated at her home, with a hog roast, on August 5 and hosted by her two children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Virginia is excited to spend her birthday celebrating with her two youngest sisters Janice Florida and Judith Thompson, family, friends, and neighbors. Neighbors, Heather and Pete Moen have provided a crown and sash for Virginia to wear on her special day.
