Virginia Weston Besse of Vineyard Haven died March 8 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs.

She was born March 9, 1921 in Belmont. Virginia grew up in Newton and graduated from Dana Hall School in Wellesley and Wheaton College in Norton.

Virginia was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Arthur L. Besse Jr. According to Virginia, she “picked up” Arthur at a Harvard mixer, having recognized him as a Vineyard sailor.

Virginia loved the Island. Her passions in life were sailing and art. She grew up spending her summers in Edgartown where she raced and taught sailing for the Edgartown Yacht Club. She sailed her Cape Cod Dory, Sea Scout, with her cousin and friend John Lovewell as crew.

She later raced her Vineyard Sound Interclub (“18”) and served as head sailing instructor at the yacht club in 1941 and 1942. She won the Prosser Cup (Southern Massachusetts) seven times. In 1946 she skippered and won the Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Cup (Women’s National Championship.)

Virginia was a painter who showed her works widely on the Island. Along with Bill and Mary Stevens, Virginia and her husband were instrumental in the founding of Featherstone Center for the Arts.

Survivors include her three children and their families.

Virginia leaves her daughter, Carol Besse Stevens Eno and her husband Jackson F. Eno of West Simsbury, Connecticut and Vineyard Haven, MA and their children and stepchildren Sonya M. Stevens M.D and her husband Michael J Watts and their four children; William H.Y. Stevens, III and his wife, Heather Marjory (Brown) Stevens and their two children; Christopher W. M. Stevens and his wife Linda Schwefler Stevens and their two children; Gregory J. E. Stevens and his wife, Tere Clippard Stevens and their two children; Sean M. Eno and his wife, Kristen Brenneman Eno, Jackson F. Eno, Jr., Elizabeth A.D. Eno and her fiancé, Michael Radvak and Carolyn S. H. Eno.

Virginia also leaves her son, Stephen A. Besse and his wife Pam Mills Besse of Guilford, Conn., and Vineyard Haven and their two children, Whitney E. Besse and Seth W. Besse.

Virginia also leaves her daughter, Anne Besse-Shepherd and her husband, James C. Shepherd of Sudbury and Vineyard Haven and their daughter, Nicole Shepherd.

Virginia leaves an older brother, J. V. (Wes) Weston of Cambridge and her brother in law, the Rev. Alden Besse and his wife, Barbara H. Besse of Vineyard Haven.

Her brother in law, Richard W. Besse and his wife, Janet S. Besse, predeceased her.

Virginia’s parents were Arthur D. Weston and Edna V. Weston of Edgartown. Her maternal family includes the Vose and Lovewell families in Edgartown, all of whom descend from Jeremiah Pease.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury. Gifts in Virginia’s memory may be sent to Featherstone Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 2523, Oak Bluffs MA 02557.