Menu

The Life of Mrs. Virginia M. Desel

Virginia Mary (Engelhart) Desel, 93, of Fairfield and Southport, passed away peacefully on September 10, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her brothers, Frederick and John Engelhart; and her parents, Frederick and Marie Engelhart.

Born in New York, NY, Virginia grew up in Woodhaven, Queens, and treasured her summer and weekend trips to her family’s summer house in Matamoras, Pennsylvania. From early on, Virginia valued education and career, at a time when neither was a given for women. With encouragement from her brother, she went to night school at Fordham University, juggling a full-time job at Mobil Oil with night classes. She obtained her degree in Business Administration there, also making lifelong friends among students and faculty. Virginia then attended the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration, a precursor to allowing women to attend the Harvard Business School. While in Boston, she met a dashing naval officer who became her husband, and with whom she raised four children.

Virginia’s married life took her to Boston, MA; Rockville Center, NY; Beaumont, TX and most recently to Southport and Fairfield. She devoted herself to family, and instilled in her children the importance of family, religion, education and career. She thrived when Robert’s job brought them to Beaumont, volunteering at the Beaumont Art Museum and Symphony. She loved Connecticut. During her more than 40 years in Southport and then Fairfield, she especially enjoyed the time she spent at the Greenfield Hill Garden Club, Fairfield Women’s Exchange, Pequot Yacht Club and Fairfield County Beagles. She was also a devoted member of St. Luke Catholic Church in Westport.

Virginia is survived by her daughters, Paula Desel and her husband Henry Ayon of Richmond, VA, Jean Gustafsson and her husband Jan of London, UK, and Anne Desel of Fairfield; her son, Robert Desel and his wife Janine Sullivan of Wilton. She will also be missed by five grandchildren, Christopher, William and Emily Gustafsson, Yates and Sarah Desel, along with her relatives, friends and neighbors in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and beyond.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Luke Church. Interment will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery. Due to current circumstances, relatives and friends are invited to livestream the Mass via: https://www.saintlukewestport.org/live-stream-mass

A memorial service will be held next year.


Filter Mrs. Virginia M. Desel's Timeline by the following Memory Categories