Virginia "Jini" Mazza, a longtime resident of Warwick, NY died peacefully in her sleep on November 22, 2023, at Sapphire Nursing & Rehabilitation in Goshen. She was 92 years old.

Jini was born April 8, 1931, in Pittsfield, MA to Ralph A. & Louise (Kempf) Gilbert.

Jini received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from Syracuse University. She was a special-education teacher at Orange -Ulster BOCES in Goshen for the length of her teaching career and helped serve students challenged with a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. Jini was one of the founding members of the Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center in Warwick devoted to the special-needs community by providing therapeutic riding lessons for children and adults facing an array of challenges. She served as Executive Director for many years and helped grow Winslow, as well as placing a national spotlight on the importance of therapeutic riding. She made an impact on many lives by healing them with horses. Jini was also a member of the Warwick Valley Rotary Club.

Jini was a loving mother, grandmother, wife, sister, and friend. She was an artist, environmentalist, and world traveler.

Jini was predeceased by her first husband of thirty years, Eugene Mazza, and later, her second husband of nearly two decades, Charles Loomis; and her daughter, Carolyn Butera. She is survived by her daughter, Audrey Mazza of Santa Fe, NM; grandchildren Liam Blakely, Lucas Curry, and Geneva Curry; sister Carolyn Doherty of Santa Fe, NM (Myles) and her longtime caregiver Danielle Fuller.

Visitation will be held on December 2nd from 2:00-4:00 p.m., followed by a service at 4:00 p.m. at the Lazear-Smith Vander Plaat Memorial Home in Warwick. A private interment in Adams, MA is scheduled for a later date.

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ginny’s memory to the Winslow Therapeutic Center,1433 State Route 17A, Warwick, NY 10990 to help continue her vision and legacy. https://www.winslow.org/donate/