Virginia Gillis

Born in Los Angeles, Sister Virginia was the youngest of four children of Francis and Mary Gillis. Growing up with three older brothers, early on she developed the independent spirit that informed her life. After graduating from Bishop Conaty High School and attending college for a year, Sister entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, CA, in 1952, professing her vows as Sister Mary Francella in 1955. For the next 16 years, Sister taught eighth grade and served as assistant principal at Sisters of Mercy schools throughout California. In 1971, Sister Virginia became Director of Teaching Education and Coordinator of Curriculum for Elementary School and Preschool at Russell College in Burlingame. She was elected to the general administrative council of the Sisters of Mercy, Burlingame, in 1974 where she served for five years. Sister Virginia then returned to school as a student at Pepperdine University and received a Doctorate of Education in Institutional Management in 1985.

Sister then turned to health ministry, serving as Director of Mission Services at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ; Associate Vice President for Sponsorship at the Catholic Hospital Association in St. Louis, MO; Vice President for Mission Services, Mercy Health System, Farmington Hills, MI; and was a member of the administrative staff at St. Joseph/Candler Health System, Savannah, GA. From 2004-2008, Sister Virginia served as Vicar for Religious for the Diocese of Savannah. She then moved to San Diego where she served as a valued member of the Scripps Health Board of Trustees and as an advisor to the Mission Integration Committee at Scripps Mercy Hospital until diagnosed with terminal cancer.

She will be remembered for her infectious laugh, irrepressible sense of humor, her creativity in working with leadership groups to enhance their vision and their ability to implement it. She commented on her life: "The presence of God was food for my journey, whether it was spending 16 years teaching junior high, (which prepared a person to do just about anything), 10 years in community leadership, or 30 years in health care." Sister Virginia is survived by sisters-in-law Kathleen Gillis and Pat Gillis; nephews Tim Gillis, Matt Gillis and Michael Gillis; nieces Mary Gillis and Ginger Rinaldi; and many grand and great-grandnieces and nephews. Services will be Wednesday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m. at Mercy Chapel at Scripps Mercy Hospital, 4077 Fifth Avenue, San Diego. A private burial will take place in the Religious Sister of Mercy burial property in Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA.

Donations can be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010-5599.

Please visit the online guestbook.