Virginia L. F. Cameron

Virginia Lee (Ginnie) Fenton Cameron, a Portland native and longtime resident who performed as an actress locally and elseware with her late husband, passed away May 6 at age 99.

Ginnie was born November 8, 1926, to Leland D, and Patricia Rochat Fenton, and was fifth generation Oregonian. She graduated from St. Helen’s Hall Lower School and Grant High School in 1944, and attended Scripps College.

She was married in 1951 to James Curtis Cameron, who at that time was the director of the Portland Civic Theater where both he and Ginnie performed.

They later moved the Youngstown, Ohio, New York City and New England. They performed with the Lighthouse for the Blind in N. Y., summer stock on Cape Cod, and the Peterborough Players in New Hampshire. They came back to Portland and the Portland Civic Theater for about six years, and then they moved to Seaside. Jim and Ginnie founded a local theatre group known as Present Tense. Jim passed away in 1972.

Ginnie was employed in the 1940s at the Jantzen Knitting Mills / Sportswear Corp. as a travelling marketing representative. She also worked with her lifelong friend Edris Morrison at the photography Studio. Ginnie was very involved as a volunteer with the Unity Church of Portland as the coordinator of the Prayer Circle (Prayer was most important to her). Theatre being a vital passion of hers, Ginnie was a long-time member of the Portland Civic Theatre Guild. She was the recipient on the Citizenship Award from the Seaside Education Association for her service on the Seaside School Board.

Ginnie was preceded in transition by her parents; husband; infant son, Peter Leland Cameron; infant brother, Leland D. Fenton, Jr.; and step farther, Harold E. Dayton. Ginnie is survived by her son, James C. Cameron, Jr.; daughter, Katherine L. C. Ward; and son-in-law Sean F. Ward.