Virginia Halligan Goben

Buffalo Junction, VA -- Virginia Anne Halligan Goben, 95, met her savior on Saturday, December 26, 2020. As has been too often the case in 2020, she was led into her final journey by COVID-19. She was escorted home by her beloved husband, Captain H. Garth Goben, USN, and son Captain Richard Garth Goben, Star of India, San Diego, CA, who had predeceased her in 2006 and 2016, respectively. Ginny, as she was known, was born in Peoria, IL, the second of four daughters, to John E. and Eleanor (Alexander) Halligan on July 3rd 1925. She grew up in Springfield and Evanston, IL, graduating from Springfield HS in 1942, where she met Garth, aka Gobe, the love of her life. They were married April 14, 1945, in Springfield, after Gobe returned from piloting a torpedo bomber in the Pacific. Ginny was well -loved by her family, her circle of friends, and the community of Clarksville, having retired here with her husband in 1977. She was the ultimate military wife, equally comfortable in ball gown or fishing gear and raising three children as a single parent much of the time, not to mention moving cross-country every year and a half. Together, Ginny and Gobe entertained friends and family at their lakeside home, organized the original float-boat parades for Clarksville’s Lake Fest, and traveled cross country innumerable times in their RVs. Individually, she studied at the University of Illinois to become an Occupational Therapist and worked from home, teaching piano, art, and weaving. Her Tri-Delt associations lasted her lifetime. She played first violin for her high school orchestra and piano for the U of I orchestra. Later, she taught her children piano and a love of art, music, and travel. A life-long learner, she took guitar lessons in her late 80s in order to play with her son, son-in-law, and grandsons, all accomplished musicians. Ginny was an active and accomplished woman. She painted in oils, knitted, crocheted, wove, and in her early life, she won trophies for golf, skeet, tennis, and bowling. Ginny led her children through Boy- and Girl Scouts, and taught them to cook, fish, handle a canoe, and ride. She coached Little League for her son, and tennis and ballet for her daughters. After she and Gobe retired to Clarksville, she was involved in bridge club, book club, golf, the knitting group the “Knitwits”, and demonstrated weaving as a docent at Prestwould Plantation. Besides her husband, son, and an infant daughter, Ginny was predeceased by her parents, two of her sisters, Dorothy Crisp and Margaret Eckenbeck, and son-in-law, Bob O’Neill. Left to mourn her, are her remaining sister, two daughters, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, four grandchildren, a grandson-in-law, five great grandchildren, a great grandson-in-law, one great-great grandson, and numerous nephews, nieces, and their families. Due to COVID-19, there will be no services at this time. She is to be cremated and her daughters will take her ashes to be buried with her husband and son in Mason County, Illinois, on a later date. Condolences may be left on Watkins Cooper Lyon’s website or Facebook page and/or tributes may be made in her name to Lake County SPCA. The family is being served by Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home, Clarksville, VA.