Obituary of Hislop Ginnie Prov UT: Remembering "Grandma Ginny's Life and Legacy," Family Members Weep

 Following over 90 amazing years of a life filled with love, service, and family devotion, Virginia Sharon Hislop (Kite), who was adored by all and affectionately known as "Grandma Ginny," passed away peacefully on August 26, 2025. For years to come, her extraordinary example will inspire and inspire generations of kids, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.

During the Great Depression, Ginny was born in Colorado to her loving parents, Bill and Sally Kite. Growing up with her sister Nancy, she learned the importance of resilience and family, two lessons that would serve her well throughout her life. In Boulder, Colorado, she would meet her soulmate, Lt. Col. Sherm Hislop, a young widower with two children, Steve and Jeanna.

They had a notoriously brief romance, and family members made jokes about them getting engaged after their second date. The LDS Temple in Logan, Utah, later sealed the couple's marriage, which would endure for over 50 years.

Ginny and Sherm expanded their blended family to include four additional children: Christine, Carolyne, Henry, and Julie. Because of Sherm's employment, they moved around a lot and lived in different parts of the United States. Nevertheless, wherever they resided, Ginny created a warm, loving, and bookish home. She was an avid reader, a Broadway show enthusiast, a skilled gardener, and the type of person who always found joy in the small things.

In the latter part of the 1980s, Ginny and Sherm "semi-retired" to Provo, Utah. Although Sherm joked that the move was to be closer to BYU football, Ginny knew that the real reason for the move was to be closer to family. With Sunday dinners becoming the norm and the sound of the grandchildren's laughter filling the halls, their home quickly became the focal point of family gatherings.

Ginny assumed the position of "Grandma" with unmatched enthusiasm. She began Christmas shopping in July and lavished her grandchildren with gifts while volunteering at the Missionary Training Center, where she also learned how to surreptitiously deliver extra care packages to her grandsons before they left for the mission field. But her kindness extended far beyond her close relatives. She took in any young missionary who needed help, and before sending them off, she often gave them warm food, clothes, or words of encouragement.

Her friends will remember her VHS library of "clean" family movies that she freely gave to the neighborhood's children. The affectionate nickname "Grandma Blockbuster" was so coined for her. She exemplified inclusivity by treating everyone as if they were members of her family.

As the years went by, Ginny found an even greater source of joy: her great-grandchildren. Known lovingly as the “Baby Whisperer,” she had a special gift for calming crying babies and created lists of appropriate books to help them cultivate her lifelong love of reading. She rapidly gained technological proficiency, learning how to utilize Instagram, 

Ginny's ability to provide care was undeniable. Even as she grew older, she never stopped trying to find ways to aid others. Delivering meals, transporting elderly neighbors to appointments, and providing companionship, she remained a dependable source of care and support. She even built a house near her parents and sister with Sherm to ensure she could always be there for them.

Before Ginny, who is now contentedly reunited with her husband, three children, parents, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and a great-granddaughter, they all died. Her husband of almost 50 years, Sherm, will be interred next to her in Huntsville Cemetery.

Ginny has requested that no formal funeral services be held. Instead of sending flowers, her family requests anybody who wishes to honor her to perform a tiny act of kindness. Above all, she wants to be remembered by carrying on the deeds of charity, love, and kindness that she freely demonstrated during her lifetime.