Virginia Catherine Leary McGuinness, 89, formerly of Fairfield and Bridgeport Connecticut, died Saturday, June 16th at the Arden Courts Home for Alzheimers Care in Hamden Connecticut after a long illness. Mrs. McGuinness was the beloved wife of deceased Connecticut State Superior Court Judge, The Honorable John. J. McGuinness Jr. She is survived by her sister Rhoda  M. Southard of Santa Monica CA and five children, John J. McGuinness lll and wife Deirdre of Fairfield, Attorney Peter J. McGuinness of Bridgeport, Attorney Timothy A. McGuinness and wife Jill of Seattle WA,  Sarah M. Cyr and husband Gilman of Hamden CT and Christopher W. McGuinness of Ft. Lauderdale FL and ten grandchildren, Kaitlin, Timothy, Patrick and Peter Cyr of Hamden CT, Josephine and Elizabeth McGuinness of Seattle WA, Jane and Katherine McGuinness of Fairfield CT, Jack and Michael McGuinness of Darien CT and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. McGuinness was born in Fairfield and was the second child of James and Florence Leary. An older sister Jane died shortly before her first birthday.  She attended St Thomas Elementary School in Fairfield and graduated from The Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall in Milford CT. She was a graduate of the Junior College of Connecticut and attended Columbia University and Adelphi University. She worked as a laboratory technician at St Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport and Northshore Hospital on Long Island. She married John J McGuinness Jr. then a Bridgeport attorney and State Legislator in 1955. She and her husband raised their family in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport and later moved to Fairfield after Mr. McGuinness was appointed Judge to The Court of Common Pleas. After the death of her husband in 1978, she moved back to Bridgeport and worked as a real estate agent for the The Eugene Richter Agency in Fairfield. She was known to her friends and colleagues as Virginia, Virg and Ginny. She was dedicated to her family in particular; her children and grandchildren and responded happily to calls to Mom and Gigi. Her generous heart and spirit and wonderful sense of humor were loved by all who knew her. The McGuinness family would like to thank the administration and staff of Hamden's Arden Courts for their many years of thoughtful care and kindness. Calling hours will take place on Friday June 22nd from 2-8 pm at the Redgate-Hennessy Funeral Home, Main Street and Gorham Place, Trumbull. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11am on Saturday June 23rd at Our Lady of the Assumption Church located at 545 Stratfield Road, Fairfield. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in her memory to The Alzheimer's Foundation of America, www.alzfdn.org and Notre Dame Catholic High School, www.notredame.org, located at 220 Jefferson Street Fairfield, CT 06825, from where her five children graduated. To send online condolences please visit www.redgatehennessy.com