Virginia Hall Smith

                                                                   Virginia Hall Smith

Virginia Hall Smith was born on September 24, 1927 in Kansas City, MO, the daughter of Virginia Hall Smith and Lewis Motter Smith.

In 1934, Virginia’s recently divorced mother brought her out to Santa Fe, NM. While there, Virginia’s mother met and married Frank (Tod) Hamlin Fincke. The couple bought two 150-year old houses on Acequia Madre before it joined Canyon Road.

Virginia first attended Miss Turley’s one-room schoolhouse, and then Gormley School. She was then sent to the Southard School in Topeka, KS, next to St. Vincent de Paul’s Catholic convent Albuquerque.

In 1942 the family moved from Pasadena, CA where they remained until 1945, when they returned to Santa Fe.

In that fall Virginia entered the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She majored in drama, appearing in a leading role in “Beggar on Horseback.”

In 1949 Virginia went to New York City to be “discovered”. In two seasons in Summer Stock (Ocean City, NJ and Waterville, ME) she obtained her Equity card (as Penelope Hall) and appeared in off-Broadway productions.

Odd jobs failed to provide a living and after a course in typing and speedwriting, Virginia got a job in the Literary Department of the New York City William Morris Agency. That was abruptly terminated by her mother’s developing cancer. Virginia returned to Santa Fe for a few months (and the family traveled to Germany where Virginia’s younger brother Lewis was stationed in the Army).

She found employment at the Manumit School in Bristol, PA, as drama director.

In 1958 Virginia returned to New York City and obtained her Master’s degree from New York University.

That fall she became the drama director at Buxton School in Williamstown, MA, where her stepfather’s youngest brother, Ben Fincke was co-director.

In the next 35 years she directed and produced over 300 plays, which included a yearly all-school play that traveled to such cities as Chicago, Washington, D.C. and others.

Summers were spent traveling and in summer stock in Dorset, VT, Willamstown, MA and others.

She retired from Buxton in 1991 and returned to her Santa Fe. She built a home in Eldorado, which she occupied for 26 years.

In addition to working at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian and several local libraries, she found a place for herself in theatre: Theatrework, (Adobe Theatre in Albuquerque and Los Alamos) and many others. After appearing in over 50 plays, the most recent being “Our Town” and “The Madwoman of Chaillot” at the Santa Fe Playhouse. Macular Degeneration caused her to abandon theatre and other activities. She moved into the retirement home of El Montecito until her death on June 14, 2019.

Virginia is survived by a brother; Lewis Smith of Saugerties, NY; a half-brother, Michael Smith of Silverton, OR;  Bickley Townsend, a half-sister in Santa Barbara, CA ; and all her many loving friends in Santa Fe.

Services will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the Kiva Chapel of Light located at 417 E Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, NM.

Reception to follow.