Ginny Frizzi was a stalwart pillar of the journalism community in Western Pennsylvania.

A native of Pittsburgh, Ms. Frizzi began her career in journalism before launching a 25-year career in public relations at Point Park University. But she always kept her hand in the news business as a freelance writer, a mentor to aspiring journalists and as a leader in the region’s professional organizations.

She was past president of the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. She served two terms on the SPJ national board of directors, was twice honored as regional director of the year and was a faculty member of SPJ’s Ted Scripps Leadership Workshop and for SPJ writing workshops.

Virginia A. Frizzi, 66, of Morningside, Pittsburgh, who had been in ill health for several months, died Monday, June 1, 2020, in UPMC Shadyside hospital of complications of covid-19.

She was born Nov. 20, 1953, in Pittsburgh, a daughter of the late Joseph and Virginia Frizzi.

Her sister, Eva Frizzi, with whom she resided, said Ginny discovered her passion for storytelling as a youngster and nurtured it, studying journalism at what was then Point Park College in Pittsburgh. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1975.

Helen Fallon, a journalism professor at Point Park, met Frizzi when they were undergraduates there and began a lifelong friendship. The two were charter members of the school’s student chapter of SPJ and later worked together in various journalism organizations over the years.

Fallon, who recently took over as president of the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, credited Frizzi, a member of the club’s board for more than a quarter-century, with nurturing and growing interest in its Golden Quill contest.

“We had 900 entries for the work of last year. A lot of that is due to her dedication to journalism and representing the work of her colleagues,” Fallon said. “I don’t know as many people who are as ardent and passionate about their chosen careers as she was. I think the best way we can honor her is to rededicate ourselves to that work.”

Richard Monti, media consultant with Trib Total Media, echoed Fallon’s sentiments.

“You couldn’t attend a journalism event in the city without Ginny being there or being involved in the planning and execution,” he said. “Her passing leaves a huge void in our community.”

Bernie Ankney, dean of the School of Communication at Point Park, was saddened to hear of Ms. Frizzi’s death.

“Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I had enormous respect for Ginny as a journalist,” Ankney said. “She was committed to good journalism. She worked tirelessly to strengthen the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh, The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania and the Society of Professional Journalists. She also served the next generation of journalists by serving as an adjunct faculty member in the communication department at Point Park.”

Eva Frizzi, who traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe with her sister, said the trip they took to London for Prince Andrew’s marriage to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 stands out.

Ginny Frizzi, an ardent Anglophile who later freelanced for Majesty magazine, had scored a press pass for the event and was up on the stage while her sister watched from the crowd below.

On the walk back to their hotel, they passed a newsstand that had a large poster of the front page of a London newspaper touting the event. When they asked to purchase it, they were told that the paper company always came around to collect the posters.

“We went past another newsstand when there wasn’t anyone there, and that poster went back to our hotel with us,” Eva Frizzi said. “We were staying at the Hotel at Paddington. Nobody noticed us carrying it, even though it was mounted on a large piece of cardboard and we couldn’t fold it or roll it up. When we got it up in the room, we had to scrape it off the cardboard with a butter knife.

“But we got it off without a tear and she had the poster framed and hanging in her office.”

In addition to her sister, Frizzi is survived by two brothers, Joseph (Vicki) and William (Carla) Frizzi; and a nephew, William Frizzi Jr. Services and interment were private due to covid-19. A memorial service will be at a later date.

Her family suggested memorial contributions to The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, 337 Fourth Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222; The Women’s Press Club/Gertrude Gordon Memorial Fund, c/o The Pittsburgh Foundation, First PPG Place Suite 250 Pittsburgh, PA 15222; or the SPJ Foundation Memorial Gift program.

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