Virginia Marie Moniz

She was born on September 4, 1939 in Ceres, California. Virginia attended Ceres high school where she graduated in 1957. She married Manuel L. Moniz, Jr. her husband of 60 years in that same September of 1957, they had three children. Her parents Frank Alameda and Mary Alameda, and her grandson Maurice Moniz, Jr. preceded Virginia in death. She is survived by her husband Manuel L. Moniz, Jr., her daughter Monica Robinson and son-n-law Terry, son Manuel L. Moniz, III and daughter-n-law Tammi, and son Maurice Moniz and daughter-n-law Jamie and her eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Virginia was born with a heart to serve, she served on the PTA and Cub Scout boards. She was a member of the Y.L.I. Ave Regina Council; she loved serving her community and was very proud of her Portuguese heritage. She was very active in Luso American, U.P.P.E.C., and U.P.E.C. where she served as Queen and the M.P.P.A. where Virginia and her husband Manuel served as presidents in 1977-78 and later she served as the secretary. She loved to cook, especially Portuguese food and was the best “cooker” as her young grandchildren described.

Virginia also known as Babe or Auntie Babe always greeted everyone with a smile and a kind word; she loved to visit with friends and family and enjoyed attending various social events, birthdays, weddings, family nights and events at the Portuguese hall.

Virginia’s first job as a young girl was working in the apricot harvest, cutting and drying apricots, and then she moved up to Kress Five and Dime and Moore Business Forms. Virginia worked for Bank of America as a loan officer for thirty years before she retired to work in her husband's business. She always liked to keep busy and had a great mind for numbers; she worked for her son at Moniz Tallow until her passing.

Virginia loved her family more than anything; you could call on her any time of the day or the night and she would be there. She always wanted to spend time with her children, sisters, brother and extended family. Virginia could always be found meeting a need, volunteering for a community event or the occasional stern talking to if someone was out of line. She was a constant in the lives of those who knew her, a source of stability in an unstable world. She would lay down her life for the people she loved.

Virginia loved her faith and her God. She was a simple person, never pretentious; she had a strong unwavering love for Our Lord and said the rosary every night. It was important to her that her children and grandchild know the Lord and the value of faith. As we begin this next chapter without her, may the memory of her example be an ever present reminder of how God has called us to live out our lives as His children, loving each other the way He loves us: unconditionally.

A visitation will be held for Virginia from 2-5PM on Monday, February 12, 2018 at Whitehurst-Norton-Dias Funeral Service: 286 W. Main Street Turlock, CA. Rosary will begin at 6PM at Our Lady of Assumption: 2602 S. Walnut Road Turlock, CA.

Funeral Mass for Virginia will begin at 10AM on Tuesday, February 13, 2018 also at Our Lady of Assumption. Virginia will be laid to rest immediately following the mass at Lakewood Memorial Park: 900 Santa Fe Avenue Hughson, CA. A reception will follow at 1:30 PM at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Hall.