Virginia “Ginny” (Michaels) Anastas, age 89 of Stoughton, passed away peacefully on January 25, 2025, from her long goodbye disease known as Alzheimer’s.
Ginny was born to her Albanian immigrant parents, Pandi Tsetsi Michaels and Celia (Treska) Michaels on April 11th, 1935 in the kitchen of their tenement apartment in Boston’s West End. Born in the midst of the Great Depression, Ginny grew up in a multi-cultural neighborhood surrounded by many different ethnic backgrounds. She often commented that no one in the West End knew they were poor as they were all in the same boat, literally migrating to America by boat seeking a better way of life. She marveled that living in her building were families from every ethnic and religious background and that, although no one spoke each other’s language, they all got along and shared whatever they had – whether it was food or a watchful eye for one another.
She was immensely proud of her Albanian heritage and deeply devoted to her faith in the Orthodox church.
From the age of 10, and for the next 70 years, Ginny played the organ at St. John the Baptist Albanian Orthodox Church in South Boston and sang in its choir, in addition to serving on numerous boards and committees there. She was known for her beauty, grace and kind word. She was the first on the dance floor, usually accompanied by her cousin and lifelong best friend, Connie. Her hosting, entertaining and cooking were renowned, most especially her spinach pies and her fruit pies. She would be sheepishly amused when her spinach pies would fetch the highest bidding at church bazaars. One Thanksgiving, she made 13 fruit pies for dessert ensuring that everyone at the table had their own.
She met her soulmate Tommy on a blind date, although not with each other. By the time the evening was done, they had each ditched their respective dates. Tommy fell fast head over heels in love with her and by the next morning was sitting in the front pew in church because that was the closest to where she played the organ. Along their life’s journey together, they worked hard, raised 3 children and travelled the world. Ginny always loved children, especially babies and toddlers, and took the greatest delight when she first became a Nana to Michael and Emily. Friday nights were for sleepovers at Nana and Papa’s where the kids performed skits and were treated to donuts the next morning. Sadly, and suddenly widowed at the age of 66, Ginny is now reunited with her Tommy, giving great peace to her family on Earth. Although her battle with Alzheimer’s meant she couldn’t engage with her 6 great-grandchildren as she’d like, they’ve all been able to spend time with her, sing with her, and despite her size, will forever know her as their “Big Nana”.
May she rejoice in heaven with her beloved husband Tommy, daughter Andrea, parents Pandi and Celia and siblings James, Gloria and Sonny.
Ginny will be greatly missed by her dearly loved children, Peter (Marylee Telford) and Stephanie Susen (Tony), adored grandchildren Michael Susen (Lauren), Emily Southworth (Tommy) and John Telford (Mary) and her most precious great-grandchildren Charlie, Chase, Lennox, Nolan, Jordan and Matthew. In addition are her beloved cousin, Connie Cotto, best friend of 70 years, Mary Evos, her Godson, Damon Ostis, as well as many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. The family would also like to extend a very deep, most heartfelt thank you to her guardian angels on earth, the caregivers and staff from Benchmark Senior Living, as well as Caring Hospice Services.