Virginia Diaz Whitley passed away this morning in Mesa, Arizona. Bill and both his sisters are there with her and his Dad. I'm so glad he got to fly out there and be with them. Mom & Dad had both remarried, (hence her Whitley name) both their spouses died, they had reunited and been together for a couple years now. Bill's mom was a very accomplished artist. Her paintings are highly valued in this area and Arizona. She did watercolors, oils and acrylics and all subjects, still lifes, landscapes, portraits. etc. All her children and grandchildren have at least one painting of themselves to treasure. She started taking painting classes when Bill went off to college and has continued her career since then. Coincidently, she was in one of my painting classes at ISU well before I knew her son. She has won many awards in Illinois and Arizona with her paintings and has quite a houseful of art. Mom was a very independent, go-get-'em kind of lady and she didn't take no for an answer. She was a great cook and enjoyed entertaining and having friends and family over for parties and gatherings. She took great pride in her family and what they had acomplished. She was very kind and caring will be missed by all who knew her. Say a little prayer for Bill and his family. Here's a link to one of her paintings (at the bottom of the page): http://www.watercolor.org/GalleryPages/coatimun.htm
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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My condolences to you both. It is always hard to lose a parent. It sounds like she had a rewarding life.
[ January 20, 2005, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: Kelly Thorson ]
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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My thoughts to Bill, you and his family and thanks for telling us about her, she sounds like a great mother, and what better thing when you have to leave is having all the love of your family and friends.
-------------------- Rick Chavez Hemet, CA Posts: 1538 | From: Hemet,CA U.S.A. | Registered: Jun 2001
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-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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I'm so sorry to hear that Jane. Our thoughts are with you. Art is such a wonderful legacy to leave behind!! Part of her will still be here 100 years from now...amazing!
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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She'll live on in in your hearts, memories, and through her art. Sounds like she lived a full life. Our condolences to you family, as well to Amy's family.
-------------------- "Are we having fun yet?" Peter Schuttinga DZines Sign Studio 1617 Millstream rd Victoria BC V9B-6G4 Posts: 521 | From: Victoria BC | Registered: Mar 2002
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My condolences....your insight was kind,my mother was an Arizonian artist too, love to colaborate someday and compare their works. Mom schooled under Bartlett in the mid to late 30's in Tucson at ASU.
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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You and yours are in our thoughts and prayer. Our condolences to your family.
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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Dead she is not, but departed, -for the artist never dies.
-Longfellow
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Bill and Jane: I am really sorry that you have lost someone so very, very special. God knows your pain, and may He comfort you and your family. I'm so glad you have each other. What a wonderful person, your Mother. Just knowing you, helps me to understand, a little bit about her.
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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Sorry to hear about the loss of a very precious person in your family, condolences from your friend in Fresno...
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Jack Keith Keith Signs and Graphics 12400 Stemmons Drive Cabool, MO 65689 Posts: 131 | From: Cabool, MO | Registered: Feb 2004
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Jane, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I may know a little of how you may be feeling, as I just made it through 1 year since my dad died on Monday. I have family out in Mesa also. Virginia's work brings back memories of my childhood in Arizona. Beautiful stuff.
-------------------- Nancie W. Phillips White Dove Painting Studio 74 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 678-887-3339
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Sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts & prayers go out to you and your family. Judy & Roger
-------------------- Judy Pate Signs By Judy Albany, Georgia USA 229-435-6824
Live simply...Love generously...Care deeply...Speak kindly...Leave the rest to God. Posts: 2621 | From: Albany,GA,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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My prayers... A new life will begin for her.
Jack Wills
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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My deepest regrets to all of those who loved and loved her.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Thank you from Arizona for all your comforting replies. It's hard to care for parents from such great distances. My sisters and I have a mountain of artwork to divide and ship to our respective homes in Illinois, Colorado and Washington. As luck would have it we were all able to be with her and even share a walk down memory lane there towards the end when she had a surge of energy.
Mom was quite a gal and a real dynamo. She was a nationally known artist who was very generous with the knowledge she shared with other artists. She also has a significant body of work from other artists. It is truly staggering. She had a letterhead spirit in a somewhat related field of work. She lives on through her work and deeds, and I guess we are all fortunate to make images that could go on past our lifetime for others to enjoy and remember us by.
We especially want to thank the Banner Baywood Hospital and Hospice centers in Mesa.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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