Virginia Asteria Harrison

On October 19, 2024, Virginia Asteria Harrison of Arlington, Virginia, passed away at the Virginia Hospital Center due to interstitial lung disease of recent onset. She was preceded in death by her father, John William Harrison, of Richmond, Virginia, and her mother, Asteria Velasquez Harrison, also of Richmond but originally from La Lima, Honduras. She is survived by her partner of 47 years, Richard L. Shaw; her brother, John William Harrison, Jr., of Laguna Niguel, CA; her niece, Carrie Randolph Harrison, also of Laguna Niguel, CA: and her nephew, Kevin Ambrose Harrison, of Laguna Beach, CA.

Born on a banana plantation in La Lima, Honduras, Virginia had an idyllic childhood in an exotic environment, frolicking in the fields with both Honduran and American children, many of whom remained her close friends for life. After high school she graduated from college in New Orleans before moving to San Diego to work for the University of California, San Diego. After seven years she moved to the Washington, D.C. area, and remained here for the rest of her life. She was employed primarily by the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, where she had a long and satisfying career. After her retirement “Miss Virginia” was beloved by the neighborhood children for her lavish Halloween parties.

A celebration of life memorial service for Virginia will be held Monday, December 9, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Murphy Funeral Home Falls Church, 1102 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA 22046.