Virginia "Jinny" M. McKelvey

Virginia “Jinny” M. McKelvey, 92, a resident of Boise, passed away April 13, 2026, in Boise.

Jinny lived a life defined by resilience, service, and a love for her family. Born and raised in the steel towns of Pennsylvania, Jinny’s early years were shaped by the frequent moves of her family; first during the Great Depression and later during World War II as her father stepped into various essential roles at the steel mills – especially when younger men were drafted into service.

Jinny attended Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, where she met the love of her life, Tom. After graduation, she began a career as a hospital lab technician. Her fascination with medicine was lifelong; she held a deep respect for the medical field and was always at home in a bustling environment of hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Outside of her professional interests, Jinny was a woman of many passions.

She was the Ultimate Fan. She was an avid follower of football, baseball, and golf. She was never a passive viewer and could frequently be heard “assisting” the officials with loud, spirited contests of their calls from her living room.

A social soul, Jinny was a regular at bridge tables, often playing through groups at her local church.

She also had a heart for service. She dedicated much of her time to children’s causes and provided transportation for the blind and elderly – a testament to her character, as she performed these acts of service while being blind in one eye herself.

Jinny’s journey was one of both great challenge and immense reward.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Tom, in 2002, and her grandson, Justin Hernandez, in 2017.

Her legacy of strength and wit lives on through her family: her daughter, Ann Hernandez, and husband Frank; her granddaughter, Sara Hernanadez; and her son, Scott McKelvey, and wife Eva.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.