Virginia Stevens Peckham, an eleventh generation Little Compton descendant, was born on May 24, 1928, the second child of Howard and Helen (Stevens) Peckham. She attended Little Compton schools until her sophomore year when her father died, and her mother moved them to upstate New York to be with her family. Virginia graduated from Gloversville (New York) High School.
Her education continued as she received a Bachelor of Science degree from Albany College of Pharmacy, and became a registered Medical Technologist working at Boston Hospital. Later she received a Master of Arts degree. She then attended Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and was a member of Pi Lambda Theta, a prestigious honor society recognizing excellence in education.
Virginia worked diligently as a clinical psychologist in Rhode Island and Massachusetts state schools (and other private schools) for children with problems. She spoke often of her “kids” who went on to become productive citizens. When she retired, she received an award from then governor J. Joseph Garrihy.
She spoke fondly of her childhood in Little Compton where she could walk to school and the Common, and spend countless hours in the woods behind her family farm, Maple Grange. She was especially proud of her membership in the Methodist Church on Pike’s Peak, and her family’s involvement in the Grange and other organizations. After her father and her Aunt Rheba passed away, her surviving Aunt Marjorie sold the family home to the town, who sadly had it razed. Many years later, this property became the James Hayes Soccer Field, and Virginia was on hand to dedicate it.
Bristol, Rhode Island became one of Virginia’s favorite places to live. She had an apartment at the Harriett Bradford Hotel on Hope Street for many years, and was disheartened when it was torn down. She was active in the Bristol library, and donated funds for its upkeep.
Little Compton was always home to Virginia, and she returned often from wherever she happened to be living. More than once she bicycled from Boston and back to visit friends here. When she returned to Little Compton to stay, she became involved in civil rights movements, the arts, historic preservation, and was a very active member of the Sakonnet Peace Alliance. Later when she moved to Silver Creek Manor in Bristol, she often asked if the Peace Alliance was still meeting, and would be very pleased to learn they were still at Pike’s Peak on Sunday mornings.
Virginia was very artistic and was a member of many arts organizations. She won several awards for her painting and “string work,” a fusion of geometry and visual art. She had a large collection of classical music compact discs, which she donated, along with funds, to build the “Virginia Peckham Music Room”at the Wilbur-McMahon School Library Media Center.
She was an inveterate traveler. She traveled by bus and by foot, stopping along the way to converse and learn about the area. She hiked a good part of the Appalachian Trail, one time leaving all her food on the trail for a “Mama” bear and her cubs, and quietly walking back towards the way she came. She had stories about championing the underdog, many of them Native Americans, in the mid-west, and finding herself in quite a bit of chaos.
One of Virginia’s favorite stops in Little Compton was the Thrift Shop, or as she called it “Lord and Taylor.”
Virginia was one of a kind. She did it her way for over 98 years. She will be missed chatting from the rocking chair at Wilbur’s Store, reading the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times in the corner at the Brownell Library, smoking her pipe on “her land” at Chace Point where she lived for many years in a tent, and chugging around Little Compton in her Volkswagen bug.
Virginia passed away at Silver Creek Manor in Bristol on August 8th in her 99th year.
She was predeceased by her mother and father, and her beloved brother Howard.
Carry on Virginia!
Service information to be announced.