Virginia Mary Henwood, wife of the late Deacon Gerald Henwood, died June 21 in Compassionate Care Hospice in St. Clare Hospital, Dover. She was 78.

Funeral services will begin with visitation in the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Rd. (Route 524), Freehold Township, June 26 from 4 to 9 p.m. and June 27 at 9 a.m. A procession will be led to St. Robert Bellarmine Church, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold, for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial.

Mrs. Henwood was born in Brooklyn and had lived in Edgewater and Marlboro before moving to Cream Ridge five years ago. She was a Third Order Carmelite, the past president of the Bishop’s Synod for the Diocese of Trenton, a spiritual director and a communicant of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. She and Deacon Henwood headed the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults for more than 10 years in St. Gabriel Parish, Marlboro.

Mrs. Henwood was predeceased by her husband who died in 2005 and a son, John Joseph Henwood, who died in 1983. She is survived by her children, Elizabeth (Michael) Griswold of Carmel, Ind.; Dianne (Michael) Torri of Jackson; Christopher (Lynne) Henwood of Long Valley; Claire (Gary) Gellman of New Egypt; Mary (Eric) Nogami of Perkasie, Pa., and Amy (John) Kostyz of Brick; 21 one grandchildren, one great grandchild, and two brothers, John Finley of Middletown, and Patrick Finley of Spring, Tex.

Interment will be in St. Gabriel Cemetery, Marlboro.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Birthright-Freehold, 49 East Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com