Today’s obituary, Virginia Carmody, 68, worked for local Congressmen; advocated for literacy in Syracuse

Virginia Carmody understood the importance of a book.

Especially to children.

As executive director of the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County, Carmody was responsible for bringing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library book program to the community. Starting in 2010, the program delivered a new book each month to a local child’s mailbox.

Hundreds of copies of “The Little Engine that Could” were delivered in the first rollout. Even to infants.

The idea was to encourage parents to sit down with their children, even at the earliest age, and spend time with the books and each other.

“They don’t have to read; they can talk about it,” Carmody said in 2014. “They can make up their own stories. The book is only a vehicle. What’s important is the interaction. You don’t need to read in order to start that with a child.”

The whole community “needs to know what is happening in literacy,” Carmody said in 2009.

“It’s at the root of every social and economic issue our country is facing today,” she added.

Her ambitious goal was to achieve “100 percent literacy through 100 percent community engagement.”

Virginia “Ginny” Carmody of Syracuse passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at Francis House, surrounded by immediate family. She was 68.Carmody was born and raised in the Hudson Valley.

She attended St. Mary’s Elementary School and John A. Coleman Catholic High School (class of 1975), both found in Kingston, N.Y. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the College of St. Rose at Albany (class of 1979), then went on to receive her master’s degree in public administration from American University (class of 1981).

After completing her postgrad studies, she went on to work in the offices of several prominent members of Congress, including Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr. as District Office Manager, Congressman George Wortley as Associate District Director and Congressman James T. Walsh as District Director.

Altogether, her obituary said Carmody dedicated “27 years towards a distinguished career in public service.”

Her work as the founding Executive Director of the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County was a natural next step.

Carmody told The Post-Standard in 2008 that her original plan was to marry her education and policy degrees and work in the federal education department, but instead she ended up working in policy.

“I feel I’ve gone full circle,” Carmody said about her new job advocating literacy.

Under her leadership, the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County was named a “Pacesetter” for its work on helping children from low-income families learn to read in 2014 and 2017.

Carmody pushed for reading during summer vacations.

“To succeed at school and life, we know that children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn during the summer,” Carmody said in 2013.

“She had a passion for making a positive difference in the lives of others; and whether working on constituent casework in congressional offices to her passionate advocacy for literacy across the lifespan, the impact of her work made our community a better place,” her obituary said.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 43 years, Mitchell E. Carmody, her two children, Riley Carmody and Christina Marie Carmody (son-in-law, Mathias Luque), her three siblings: Michael Berardi (wife, Beverly Berardi), Gerard Berardi (wife, Mayumi Berardi), Bernadette Berardi (husband, Michael McGowan) and her four beloved nieces and nephews: Dante Berardi (wife, Amanda Berardi ), Dana Berardi McNamara (husband, Kevin McNamara), Jay Carmody (wife, Abigail Carmody) and Veronica Carmody.

Carmody was predeceased by her parents Vincent P. Berardi and Christine Altomari, her godparents Roscoe Altomari and Rose Altomari, and all her grandparents, Francesco Berardi, Mary Nardi, Charles Altomari and Virginia Fiore.

Friends and family will gather for calling hours on Saturday, March 21, beginning at 9 a.m. at St. Michael’s Church (4791 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, N.Y.) followed by a Catholic mass at the same location at 11.

Following this service, she will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery (4100 E. Genesee Street, Syracuse).

A catered reception will be held back at St. Michael’s at 2 p.m.

Floral donations (with the notable exception of lilies) are encouraged for the church service and alternative donations in her honor can be made out to either Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library book program, helping continued efforts towards early childhood literacy, or Francis House (108 Michaels Avenue, Syracuse) which devotedly cared for Carmody these last six months.

Butler-Badman Funeral Home

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