Viola Abla Bajalia, 76, passed suddenly from this earthly life into the arms of our Lord in the early hours of the morning on Monday, December 23, 2024. Known affectionately by her friends and family as Vi, she was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Elias and Nijmeh Bajalia of Ramallah, Palestine.
Vi possessed a quiet, nurturing demeanor that shone through the warmth of her smile and the strength in her eyes. She was a mother. Simply and fiercely. She was not only devoted to her Palestinian culture and her faith in Christ, but to her loving husband of 54 years. Together, they built a thriving business and raised four beautiful children. They built a home and life of which Vi was the epicenter. Her absence is felt beyond words. There is emptiness in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. She cultivated courage, love, and grace in her home, in her business, and in her relationships. She emphasized strength through adversity without complaint in her life, and it’s one of the many lessons she taught her children. She was a concrete pillar of support for them, and those she loved. It must be said that Vi’s greatest joy was in being a grandmother to sweet Althea Yasmine. Althea is a bright star and the answer to her grandmother’s legacy. The two had a bond that cannot be explained or replaced. Vi’s memory will live on through her love for Althea, forever and always.
She is survived by her husband, Saed Aziz Bajalia; her children Jason Anthony Bajalia (Sandy Laina Bajalia), Elias Junior Bajalia (Tabitha Henson), Alicia Dawn Bajalia (fiancée Albert Gazaleh), and Saed Andrew Bajalia. She also leaves behind her sisters, Suad Bajalia Farah (Nick Farah deceased), Mickie Bajalia Mashni (Costandi Mashni), Mary Bajalia (Azeez Bajalia deceased), Jeannette Bajalia, and her many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and cousins.
A visitation for Vi will be held Saturday, December 28, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Assumption Catholic Church, 2403 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207. A funeral mass will follow at 11:00 AM. A committal service will follow the mass the Greenlawn Cemetery.
