Virginia “Ginny” Brocki passed away on Friday, July 10, after a brief illness. She was 67.
Born in Meadville, Ginny moved to Erie after her sophomore year of high school. She graduated summa cum laude from Gannon College before enlisting in the United States Coast Guard, serving six years on active duty at stations in Hawaii, Seattle, San Antonio, and the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.
After her military service, she earned a nursing degree and worked as a behavioral health nurse at Hamot Medical Center, Stairways, Safe Harbor, and the Erie VA Medical Center, retiring in 2019.
Retirement gave Ginny the opportunity to pursue her passion for digital portraiture and pencil drawing. Her artwork, shared on Instagram under the username @ginnypic, reflects both the breadth of her talent and the generosity of her spirit. She also devoted many hours to volunteering with local nonprofit organizations, above all Emmaus Soup Kitchen, a place that held special meaning in her heart.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ruth Dean, and her sister, Stephanie Sherman. She is survived by her husband, Vincent; her nephew, Chris Sherman; her niece, Nina Kanin; her sister-in-law, Severine Brocki; her brother-in-law, Thomas Brocki; the two beloved cats who adored her, Windy and Crystal; and a sister, Sharon Dunfee.
Ginny believed that the true nature of every person is divine, and that life’s highest purpose is to realize that inner divinity. To her, death was not an ending, but a transition.
Those who knew Ginny will remember a woman of quiet strength, diligent creativity, generous service, and loyal friendship. She made the world better simply by being in it.
Memorial contributions may be made to Emmaus Ministries, 345 East Ninth Street, Erie, PA 16503.
Posted online on July 14, 2026
Published in Erie Times-News