Virginia Lee Ayala

Virginia Lee Ayala, 95, of Grand Island passed away on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family. Memorial services will be 11 AM Saturday, February 11th at All Faiths Funeral Home. Reverend Andrew Springer will officiate. Livestreaming of the service will be available on Virginia’s obituary page at www.giallfaiths.com. Her ashes will be placed in the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Island’s columbarium at the conclusion of the service. There will be no visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to either St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the Salvation Army. Virginia was born on October 17, 1927 in Omaha, NE to Franklin and Bernice (New) Pierce. She was raised in Omaha and came to Grand Island and graduated from Grand Island Senior High. After high school, Virginia continued her education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Virginia was united in marriage to the love of her life, Enrique “Hank” Ayala Castillo. In this union, they were blessed with six sons and four daughters (two sets of twins in the mix). The family moved to Venezuela in 1949, and lived on a farm in rural Venezuela for a time, later settling in the nation’s capital, Caracas. They resided there until the late 1970’s. Eventually, all but one of the ten children re-settled in the USA, with one settling in Germany. Virginia enjoyed many passions including the ones during her life in Venezuela from raising 10 children to cake decorations, birthday parties, baptism, 1st communions, confirmations, to house gatherings with families and friends, sewing, and every now and then play the piano and sing. Virginia was a member of the Venezuelan-American University Women’s Association (VAUWA), and she loved to watch Carol Burnett, which was dubbed in Spanish but the songs were in English… Virginia enjoyed so many things…going to the Caribbean beaches in the Venezuelan coast, in particular Puerto Azul (near the town of Naiguata), as well as trips to her husband’s farm for summer vacations and other weekend get-aways. When she moved back to the USA, in 1978, to be closer to her parents in Grand Island, and many of her children were in the USA already, Virginia enjoyed sewing, quilt making (which resulted in unique quilts for each of her grandchildren), crossword puzzles, and getting together in fellowship with the ladies at the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Island (an institution which her mother had a hand in founding) knitting prayer shawls. Virginia also assisted with interpreting English to Spanish and Spanish to English to the local community. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, a dedicated Red Cross volunteer, and a member of PEO. Survivors of the immediate family include: Mercedes of Orlando,FL; Maria Elena (Nenena) of Grand Island, NE; Carlos Enrique (and Chong) of Hopewell, VA; Francisco (and Margit) of Pödeldorf, Germany; Susana of Ashville, NC; Jaime (and Sylvia Kasper) of Blair, NE; Diego (and Tammy) of Lincoln, NE; Margarita (and Brad) of Omaha, NE; Pedro José (and Ramona) of Palm Bay FL; Juan Pablo (and Amy) of Hiawassee, GA; Mariana (and Jeff) of Kansas City, MO. Other survivors include: grandchildren and their spouses, Teresa (and Ernest); Sherry (and Lucho); Elisa (and Glenn); Carlos Enrique Jr. (and Darlene); Jessica (and Patrick); Rachel (and Jesse); Kristen (and Dan); Diego Rafael; Gabriela (and Braden); Carmen (and Brent); Travis (and Dawn); Kathleen (and Lee); Luis (and Kaylee); Maria Virginia (and Gediminas or “G”), Danica; Savanah (and Joe); Andrés (and Kidiam); Emilia; Logan; Alejandro. She is also survived by twenty-nine Great-grandchildren, and one Great-great grand-daughter. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Franklin and Bernice Pierce, her husband, Enrique “Hank” Ayala, two brothers, Charles and Douglas Pierce, and daughter-in-law Cynthia Marie Zach (Jaime).

Virginia Lee Ayala

October 17, 1927 - January 31, 2023

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Virginia Lee Ayala

October 17, 1927 - January 31, 2023

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

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