Virginia Lucrecia Bland

After a Very Courageous and Protracted battle with a very rare cancer, Virginia Lucrecia Lopez Bland passed away peacefully at home with her family at age 47 on January 15, 2018 following multiple treatments and clinical trials at McLaren Karmanos Cancer Center and The University of Michigan Cancer Center and Hospital.

Virginia was born in Uruguay South America on November 23, 1970. When she was very young her family moved from Uruguay to the United States, settling in the Chicago area. She was an extremely hard worker who cared for everyone and was universally loved. When she was 23 and working to support her entire family with a Bridal Shop in Chicago’s Spanish Community, She met her husband Jeff while waiting for a taxi. They were married on September 16, 1995 on the 54th floor of the Doral Plaza on Chicago’s magnificent mile.

Virginia sacrificed as was her way and moved with her husband to Lansing, MI in 1997. She couldn’t escape her passion for dresses and founded Pierre’s Bridal & Flowers near the end of 2002. In 2010 with the help of her husband and now business partner, Jeff, they worked to grow and expand the business to become Pierre’s Bridal, Prom and Tuxedo. Virginia was very proud of the store and what it had grown into from what she once called “her hobby”.

She was preceded in Death by her Mother and best friend, Estela Marenco Lopez. She is survived by her Loving and devoted family, husband Jeff Bland, Daughter Sarah (20) and Son Maxwell (17) as well as 8 siblings.

A Celebration of Virginia’s Life will be held at 12:00 noon, Monday, January 22, 2018 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 205 E. Washington St., DeWitt, MI with visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at DeWitt Cemetery.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that Donations be made to the University of Michigan Cancer Center Research @ https://www.mcancer.org/giving/