Virginia Sue Kays Veenswijk, 49, died Friday, Oct. 11, 1996.
She was born in Chicago, the youngest daughter of Attorney Frank P. Kays, a native of Astoria, and grew up in Northbrook. She is survived by her husband, Willem Veenswijk of Biscayne Park, Fla.; her mother, Virginia S. Kays of Miami Lakes, Fla.; her sister, Marilyn Kays O’Connor of Chicago; two half sisters, Florence Kays Hurter, Chicago and Diana Kays Dunn of California; her aunt, Marie Kays Payne of Rock Falls; and several nieces and nephews.
She entered Vassar College as a National Merit Scholar and Matthew Vassar Scholar, graduating magna cum laude in history in 1967.
She was a teacher and administrator at Adelphi Academy, a private school in Brooklyn, and, after resigning to move to New Jersey, served for several years on its board of trustees. In New Jersey, she was a free-lance writer, writing manuals, reports and technical documents.
In the early 1980s, she founded and edited The Montgomery News, a weekly newspaper serving Montgomery Township in central New Jersey.
In 1989, Veenswijk moved to Miami due to her husband’s transfer for business. In Florida she researched and wrote a history, a study of American law and legal practices as seen through the 140-year saga of one family-owned firm, Coudert Brothers: The History of America’s First International Law Firm. It was published by Truman Talley/Dutton books in 1994.
A novel she subsequently wrote won first place in the Florida First Coast Novel competition in 1994.
Virginia was a loving, thoughtful, person, with a ready smile, a friendly handshake and a cheery greeting which endeared her to many people.
Cremation rites were held in Florida.
A copy of her authored published book, Coudert Brothers, will be given to the Astoria Public Library to honor her memory.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus