Virginia Gutierrez Valensuela

To Virginia Gutierrez Valensuela, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Virginia, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Virginia really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Virginia was born on May 21, 1932 at home in Harlingen, Texas. She was delivered by her mother Maria. Her parents were Alfredo and Maria Gutierrez. Virginia was raised in Texas and California. Even as a child, Virginia had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Virginia was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Virginia managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Virginia was raised with eight siblings: Lina D. Phillips(deceased), Alfredo Gutierrez Jr.(deceased), Rosie Salazar(deceased), Roy Gutierrez(deceased), Jenny Castro, Tomas Gutierrez, Victor, and Richard(deceased).

All of Virginia's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Virginia experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. In her spare time she liked climbing trees, dancing, and socializing. In 8th grade, Virginia stop attending school because she had to help support her family.

Virginia never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Virginia to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Virginia delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Virginia was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Virginia utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, she became close friends with Dorothy Wallace, Eldie Pelayo, Alicia Segona, Pola Eseobedo, Enedina Mendiola, Ernesto and Dominga Alveraz. Virginia loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Virginia very easy to approach. On April 27, 1952 Virginia exchanged wedding vows with Jorge Garcia Valensuela at a church in Harlingen, Texas. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Virginia related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Virginia was blessed with six children, Diana, Sonya, Gina, Mercy, Corina, and Javier. Jorge and Virginia also took under their wings at birth Danny Valensuela. They were blessed with 17 grandchildren, Christopher, Robert, Elias, Adriana, Georgette, Roland, Brandon, Kristina, Niko, Evan, Dylan, Janelle, Justin, Desiree, Selena, Crystal, and Manuel. They were also blessed with 7 great-grandchildren. Virginia had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Virginia's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Virginia had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Virginia was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Virginia liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Virginia was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Virginia's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Virginia as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was in sales and Virginia sold Tupperware.

Virginia enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Virginia liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were dancing, reading, and doing puzzles. Virginia was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Virginia recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of Most Holy Trinity Church for over 10 years.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Virginia was regularly doing things for others. For her, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though she never set out to gain individual recognition, Virginia was given accolades for her many and varied accomplishments throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included Best Tupperware Sales.

Living life in the fast lane suited Virginia just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Her favorite vacation was Hawaii.

Virginia was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Virginia's favorites were Princess, a German Shepherd dog, and also Dickie, a Terrier dog.

Virginia believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1970's, Virginia took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Virginia remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Virginia continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Virginia passed away on January 25, 2014 at home in San Jose, California. Virginia passed away due to congestive heart failure and diabetes. She is survived by Diana, Sonya, Gina, Mercy, Corina, Javier, and Daniel. Services were held at Chapel of Roses at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose, California. Virginia was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

Virginia brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Virginia Gutierrez Valensuela lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.