Virginia Trafford “Ginny,” 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at The Heron House in Cumberland. A memorial service will be held at Pleasant Mountain Ski Area on Sunday, October 22 from 1-4 p.m.

She was born in Two Harbors, Minn., to Verner and Betty Juth. Ginny married Donald Trafford in 1958 and lived in Two Harbors until 1963 when they moved to Poland Springs, to manage the riding stables at the Poland Springs Hotel.

After the hotel and stables closed in 1966, Don and a very pregnant Ginny moved to East Baldwin, with their six children. Don tragically died eight days before their youngest child was born. Ginny was left to raise seven children on her own. She always said, “I couldn’t have landed in a better town.” And the love and support she received from the neighbors helped her to get through the tough times.

Ginny worked hard all of her life and hated needing assistance after Don died and strived to achieve financial independence as soon as possible. She taught her children that hard work pays off and that “the devil is in the details.” Every one of her children is a testament to her values.

Education was important to her and she was PTA president at the Baldwin Elementary School, supported scouting and started the 4H Club in Baldwin. A lifelong lover of art, she gathered friends together to form the Baldwin Painting Club. She taught horseback riding and skiing in Minnesota and Maine and virtually instructed anyone interested in learning. Ginny also taught most of the town kids how to ski, first starting on the “little hill” then moving on to the “big hill.” In Maine, at Burnt Meadow Mountain, Stark's Hill and Pleasant Mountain, she taught skiing in exchange for season passes for her children and her kids took first aid and then joined the Ski Patrol. She felt that busy kids stayed out of trouble. Over the next 12 years, Ginny worked a variety of jobs to support her seven children.

In 1974, with the help of an old friend, she purchased the Fryeburg Mobile Home Park. After moving to Fryeburg in 1979, she leased Canal Bridge Campground from 1979-1992, which she expanded and improved.

In 1989, Ginny purchased the old Rand's Garage property which was next to the mobile home park. The property was used as a junk yard and extensive cleanup was needed and the building was in rough shape. With the help of her sons, they rebuilt and in April of 1990, Trafford’s RV was born. After 15 years of success and outgrowing the Fryeburg location, Ginny purchased Plum Potters’ Junkyard, in Center Conway, N.H., in 2005. Again, extensive cleanup ensued. In the fall of 2006, Trafford’s RV moved into a brand new state-of-the-art facility. Ginny’s dream had come true! Ginny and her daughter Darlene operated Trafford’s RV until February of 2012, when they sold the business to Camping World. Customer service was always their #1 priority and they were honored with Top 50 U.S. RV Dealers award twice. They also won the Customer Service Award, every year, from all their manufacturers. Customers traveled halfway across the country to get their RVs serviced at Trafford’s RV. What an honor!

She built the house of her dreams in Center Conway and resided there until recently.

Ginny was also a member of the Fryeburg Rotary and served as secretary. Her humor and work ethic went hand in hand. She often said, “It takes the busiest person in the room to get the work done.”

Virginia is predeceased by her husband Donald, brother James Juth, son Daniel and grandson Nick.

She is survived by her children Donna (Darryl) Ward of Hiram, ME; Darryl (Susan) Trafford of Limington; Deborah (Harry) Payton of Salida, Colo.; Dean Trafford of Lovell; Donald (Shelley) Trafford of Scarborough; and Darlene (Clayton) Leavitt of Conway, N.H.; daughter-in-law Terri Trafford of West Baldwin; her sister, Jennifer Forbes of Green Mountain Falls, Colo., and her brother Larry (Melody) Juth of Delta, Colo. Additionally, she is survived by 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Donations in her memory can be made to Affinity Hospice Care of Southern Maine who provided amazing care to Ginny over the past nine months.