Greenville – Virginia Ann Simko, 87, passed away January 23, 2022 at Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital in Greenville. She was born April 17, 1934, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the daughter of George and Martha (Paradzick) Warmke. Virginia was born near the end of the Great Depression, and at a young age her family moved to rural Monroe where they raised animals and grew vegetables to get by. Virginia has fond memories of those early days tending for baby chickens and rabbits and other livestock, experiences which created a tender spot in her heart for animals which would stay with her for all of her years. Her family moved back to Bridgeport and by her ninth grade year Virginia left school to begin working at the HL Green Department Store to help support her family (her brother George soon left school to work as well). At HL Green, Virginia’s creativity shined as she was given the task of designing and setting up window displays, even winning awards for her efforts. Virginia says that was her favorite job “because the people were all so nice”. In her late teens she met young Bobby Simko, also of Bridgeport, and at the age 20, followed him to Maine and was soon married. Bob and Virginia lived in Milo at first but then moved to outer Park Street in Dover-Foxcroft where Bob worked as a mechanic and Virginia raised livestock and worked in nearby mills in Dover-Foxcroft as well as at her friend Joanne Campbell’s general store in Guilford. Virginia was known for her flock of Toulouse geese which would follow her around the yard when they weren’t asleep under the weeping willow tree on the corner. Virginia’s only child, John, was born in 1969 and became the focus of her life. She divorced Bob and moved to Barnard Plantation and then, against convention at that time as a single mother, sought and received an FHA loan to buy and fix up a small house on 15 acres of land on the North Road in Sebec. Virginia loved this plot of ground and worked to keep a big garden each summer and maintained a front yard full of perennial flowers. Her dear friend Hilda Burow of Sebec would often help her figure out how to make her gardens grow better. In later years as John grew this would be land to be explored and where a thousand after school adventures would be played out with his childhood friends. Virginia volunteered for the Head Start program, giving rides to Sebec kids who wanted to go to this pre-kindergarten program in Dover-Foxcroft. She would also fetch the hot lunch each day provided for the youngsters from the Morton Avenue Elementary School. At about this time Virginia began working for Penquis CAP as a case worker. In the mid-70s she would drive throughout rural Piscataquis County to meet with other single moms, with elderly widows, with anyone who needed assistance from the various programs Penquis administered. The job was perfect for her as she could bring John along on her calls. Virginia’s role at Penquis diminished as did funding, but she continued to work seasonally as an intake worker for the LIHEAP program until the mid-1990s. Virginia made many lasting friendships there, most memorably with her coworker Jodi Hinson. In 2005 Virginia suffered a massive stroke which changed her life. But she worked hard in Physical Therapy and was able to regain most of the function she had lost to paralysis, and she never lost her sharp mind (or wit). Following her hospital stay she moved in with John and his family in Greenville and quickly grew a strong bond with her young granddaughter Ashley, who was most special to her. When Virginia was strong enough, she found and moved into her apartment at Nickerson Park in Greenville, where she became close friends with her neighbor Pearl Whitney. Virginia’s health declined over time, but she was determined to live independently for as long as she could. With the help of several very special home care helpers, the caring staff at CA Dean Ambulance and also CA Dean Hospital (where she would periodically come in for a “tune up”), she lived on her own for 12 more years. During those years she shared many afterschool card games with Ashley, lunches with John and different celebrations with the whole family. Virginia was a strong woman who had the courage of her convictions and held nothing back in expressing how she felt, whether good or bad. But she was also a kind soul who would help anyone in need. Virginia dearly loved her family, and how she lived her life illustrates the beauty of unconditional love. Virginia is survived by her son, John Simko and his wife, Amanda; grandchildren, Ashley, Samuel, and Chris Simko, and Brandon and Courtney Brackett; sister, Joan Vojtek; sister-in-law, Agnes Warmke; and nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, George and Martha Warmke; two brothers, George and Joseph Warmke; and sister-in-law, Gail Warmke. A memorial service will be held 1:00 PM Saturday, February 5, 2022 at the Greenville Chapel of the Lary Funeral Home, 281 Pritham Avenue. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to C.A. Dean Ambulance Service, 364 Pritham Avenue, Greenville, ME 04441, or to the Greenville Fire Department, P.O. Box 1109, Greenville, ME 04441. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.