Barbara Jo Virgilio

We tragically lost our mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Barbara Jo Virgilio, on February 20, 2023. Barbara died in Portland, Oregon as a result of injuries sustained when a vehicle left the roadway and struck her while she was walking. She was 69 years old.

Born on December 4th, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois, raised mostly in Glen Ellyn Countryside, Barbara spent her early years as a Girl Scout achieving Cadette rank, ice skating, cheerleading at Queen Bee Junior High and many activities with friends. In high school, Barbara participated in theater and developed a love for acting. She was active in her church group, enjoyed dances and was a yearbook editor her senior year at Glenbard North High School.

At the age of 18, while in college in Iowa, Barbara joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her relationship with God and the Savior became a constant beacon in her life. Barbara lived a life wholly shaped by her faith.

After Iowa, Barbara spent time at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah including six months studying abroad in Italy. In 1974, while on summer break in the Chicago area, Barbara met Thomas Mitchell. Later that year, they were married in the Provo LDS temple. Tom’s work brought them to Oregon in 1975 where the family settled. Together they had five children. They were married for 23 years, divorcing in 1997.

Barbara was a homemaker when her children were young. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, canning, serving as a Girl Scout troop leader and was an active La Leche League leader. She supported all her children’s interests throughout the years including sports, piano lessons and extracurricular activities. As her children grew older, Barbara pursued and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Sociology and a certificate in Gerontology; she graduated summa cum laude in 1994 from Oregon State University.

Upon graduation, her career involved working in various social service settings, primarily with the elderly. Over the years, she served as Social Service Director at several nursing and care homes in the greater Portland area. After completing a Master degree in Social Work from Portland State University in 2004, Barbara pursued a life-long career goal and began working as a social worker in hospice and bereavement care.

Having lost her father at age 13 and her first born when he was 21 months old, she experienced tremendous loss early on in life. Barbara turned her own grappling with death and grief into her purpose; she found great meaning being able to support individuals at their end-of-life while also supporting their families in preparing for their loved ones to die. Working for Mt. Hood Hospice in Sandy, Oregon from 2007 until her retirement in 2022 became the highlight of Barbara’s career. Her personal journals include many thoughts, memories, and miracles of hospice experiences and are a testament to how important this work was to her and the people she served.

In addition to her full career, Barbara volunteered regularly at a local food bank, worked extensively on family history alongside members of her family and served weekly at the Portland LDS temple. She loved lively conversation and discussing politics, American history and anything philosophical. As an avid reader, she loved biographies and autobiographies, especially about American presidents and individuals who had faced and overcome adversity. In more recent years, she participated in several Road Scholar educational trips learning about different iconic American cities and their respective history. She was always eager to gain knowledge and was a life-long learner. Very recently, she attended her 50th high school reunion and greatly enjoyed reconnecting with long-lost friends.

Barbara was a woman of integrity. She was honest and sincere and lived with devotion to the things that mattered most to her. She cared deeply about others and gave generously of her time and resources to those in need. She journaled extensively about her experiences throughout her life and in one entry noted, “Of all my efforts in life, my greatest contribution to the world has been my children.” Her infectious smile and laughter will be missed by all who knew her.

Barbara is survived by her children Lisa (Jeff), Emily, Scott, and Travis; sister Susie (Joan), brother Richard, nephew Marq, grandchildren Jada and Aidan and many cousins. She was preceded in death by her son Eric and parents, Frank and Josephine.

A public memorial service will be held in Gresham, Oregon on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home followed by a reception from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. A private burial will be held at a later time with family members. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Barbara’s name to Mt. Hood Hospice, 39085 Pioneer Blvd, Suite 1018, Sandy, OR 97055.

Please contact the family for a link to the livestreaming of the service.