Virginia Anne Jackson Kestel

Virginia Anne Jackson Kastel was 89 when she died on Sept 26. She would have been 90 in a few weeks. 

She grew up in San Antonio and Laredo Tx, with 2 sisters, Isabel and Marsha, and 2 brothers, William and James. She was proud to be an excellent student, especially in English. After college she taught English at the Alamo Heights Junior School in San Antonio and then worked at the Denver Art Museum. It was while living in Denver she met Dean, who would become her husband of 58 years. After marrying, she moved with Dean to California, where Virginia taught high school in East LA until their daughter Anne was born. A year later the family moved to Washington, DC where twins Mary (known as Bonnie) and Paul (Buddy) were born. Every summer Virginia took her family back to San Antonio as she had promised her mother she would, and her children grew close with their cousins. Virginia returned to teaching in DC, and was a dedicated member of the faculties of St Ann’s School and Dunblane Academy. Her students adored her for tirelessly helping them to succeed academically. 

In 1991 Virginia and Dean moved to Santa Fe for retirement. Virginia continued to serve young people in New Mexico tutoring them in reading. She also volunteered at the then-nascent Santa Fe Botanical Garden.

 Virginia was overjoyed to welcome each of her 4 grandchildren to the world and spent many happy hours painting and playing, reading and exploring with them. She cultivated a beautiful flower garden at her home, and some of her garden plants honored her on the casket arrangement. As her health declined in recent years, she found joy looking out at her work in the nature of her garden.