St. Joseph School art teacher, Ginny Clark creates some pretty unique projects for her students. Her artistic abilities match beautifully with her belief in saving the environment and recycling. With that, several pieces of furniture were rescued and brought to life by our middle school students. With the help of our school’s very talented Miss Virginia Starosta, Mrs. Clark instructed students in furniture redesign including painting, tiling, grouting, and mosaic design, to name a few! She recruited Miss Virginia when it came to instructing students on the technique of cutting and designing stained glass.

Miss Virginia had a love for designing stained glass. For years, she created and sold pieces to benefit the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministries. Often she'd be busy creating pieces for auctions through school functions. For this school project, her generosity shined as she donated the center bevelled glass piece for a unique blue mosaic porch table. Other pieces created through this art project included a potting bench, a mosaic cross and various tables, some which have been auctioned through school events, some still available through the school.

Sadly, during the writing of this article St. Joseph lost their beloved Miss Virginia Starosta at the age of 83. While speaking of his long-time friend at her funeral Mass, Fr. Jude Randall borrowed a saying from Martin Buxbaum. "It is said that some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts." Close friend and president of St. Joseph School, Sr. Dorothy Randall added, "Her heart outstretched through her hands to those around her."

Whether it was family or friends, she always gave from the heart. Marushka Stefanova remembers her Aunt Virginia most for her guidance and assistance in 1969 when she, at the age of 18, came with her sister for a visit. She had travelled from Prague, Czechoslavakia, where upon arrival in the U.S., the borders of her country had suddenly been closed by the communists. She was told to return to Prague or face prison time. Sentenced to seven months in prison for not returning, Marushka's family was being pressured for her return. It was her Aunt Virginia who protected her and took the two in until they were able to learn the English language, gain citizenship and become independent women here in the United States.

Miss Virginia especially loved a challenge. It was a rarity when she could not come up with a solution to fix something. Marushka knew that and when her daughter, Tiffany, caused a bit more teenage friction than mom could handle, she sent her to live with 'Grandma Starosta' for one weekend. "She was really strict but loving." With just one weekend, Grandma straightened her out. Virginia believed that children need to honor their parents and work to become productive citizens. With a raise of her eyebrow and tightening lips, Tiffany understood her Grandma Starosta. Now, at the age of 23, these memories have become a type of endearment for Tiffany, who shares giggles with her mother when speaking of that weekend. "She was our velvet hammer," said Marushka. The students of St. Joseph would agree that Miss Virginia was always on their side, but that they had better behave.

She was known as a go-to person at St. Joseph. “If I needed help figuring out something for an art project, she’d spend her own time at home working on it. She was so dedicated to the school and children,” said art teacher, Clark.

When the school removed the radiators, she was there, the boiler...she was there. When a redesign of space was needed for the computer lab, teachers lounge, xerox room and maintenance area, she was there with the layout.

Marushka once asked how she could ever repay her Aunt Virginia. She told her neice to just do something for someone in need. "I do," she said. "As we speak, we have a woman living with us who immigrated from Poland. We will help her until she gets on her feet." Virginia never wanted repayment. "This so personifies her. She was just so giving, giving, giving."

Clark speaks for the entire school family when adding, "You'll never know where she has laid a hand. She was such a talented, giving woman. We will all miss her greatly."