by Jerry Connors, secretary, USHWA

Harrisburg, PA — Virginia O’Brien, 91, the first woman elected to harness racing’s Communicators Hall of Fame, died July 31, 2010, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

She assisted and helped develop generations of publicists, writers, and racetrack executives while working in various capacities at Saratoga Harness earlier in her career; later, she rightfully achieved fame as the Curator of the Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame, which was chock-full of pictures, memorabilia, and writings, all maintained by her to create a level of museum usually associated with the topmost level of sports organizations, and not the modest Saratoga Harness enterprise — such was her skill, which earned her national Hall of Fame honors in 2006.

A viewing will be held Wednesday evening (August 4) from 4-7 p.m. at the Burke Funeral Home in Saratoga Springs. The funeral will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday (August 5) at St. Mary’s Church on Thompson Street in nearby Ballston Spa, N.Y.