VIRGINIA (GINNY) LEVENBACK
Cancer Survivor • Attorney • Wife
T H E I R H E R O S T O R Y
Virginia (Ginny) Chaffe Levenback was born in 1956 at the old Goshen Hospital. Her parents and extended family raised her in Campbell Hall. Ginny graduated from Goshen High School in 1975. She was the first in her family to attend college, earning a degree in government at Saint Lawrence University.
At 21, struggling to find employment in New York, Ginny moved to Houston, Texas, to start a new life and career at Pennzoil. Not satisfied with her career path, Ginny attended the University of Texas School of Law and worked in Houston's oil and gas sector for 20 years.
Her career was interrupted by breast cancer at age 34.
Fortunately, the outcome of treatment was excellent. Her cancer experience motivated Ginny to look beyond her career and find meaning in her life.
I had the great fortune to be introduced to Ginny by a mutual friend shortly after Ginny completed cancer treatment. I had been recently divorced and had primary custody of two boys, ages 5 and 7. I was cautious about introducing new adults to the boys, but I immediately recognized that Ginny was different. On our second date, we played wiffle ball with the boys and went to the movies. We never looked back. The more I got to know Ginny, the more I was impressed by her caring for family, compassion for the underserved, intellect, and commitment to living a values-driven life of service to the community.
In Houston, Ginny served in various service roles at Unity of Houston. Ginny became deeply involved in efforts to feed needy Houstonians in partnership with the Houston Food Bank. She also served on Unity's Board of Directors during a generational leadership change and supported efforts to combat sex trafficking.
In 2021, we were starting a new phase of life in retirement when breast cancer struck again.
Treatment was difficult, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Ginny displayed enormous courage and resilience during the arduous treatment. Gratefully, she is now 4 years cancer-free.
Ginny’s cancer care was marred by diagnostic and communication errors that delayed her diagnosis. Ginny was determined that other patients should not experience similar errors. Instead of becoming angry and resentful, Ginny partnered with hospital leaders to implement closed-loop result reporting and standardized radiology reports, which have dramatically reduced errors at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Emerging from treatment, Ginny and I moved to Goshen to be closer to extended family, including 2 small grandchildren. Ginny found new ways to serve through the Rotary Club of Goshen, once again working with the Food Bank and raising money for various Rotary initiatives.
Ginny is the love of my life and a role model for the people she touches in the family, the community, and me.
H O N O R E D B Y
Charles Levenback