Obituary of Virginia Pearce Viette

I’d like to share a few memories of my mother, Virginia Viette, who passed away on February 5, 2024 at the age of 79. 

She was an amazing woman - strong, independent, loving and supportive.

Virginia was born on November sixth, 1944 in Paterson, New Jersey to Evelyn and Daniel Pearce. She was the older sister of Catherine Geyer (Pearce). She attended the Northfield School for Girls before heading off the Wilson College in Chambersburg Pennsylvania, where she continued to explore her love of the French language. Skills that came in handy on numerous visits to France to see her daughter, Catherine, a resident of Paris.

Growing up she loved horses and she learned to ride on a very special horse - Snowman. He was the champion show jumper owned and ridden by Harry de Leyer. The stories she told about the pair sparked her daughter’s imagination and inspired her to also learn how to ride.

She sometimes shared her birthday with Election Day - and maybe that predisposed her to an interest in politics.  Politics is how Virginia met her husband Maurice. Both were members of the Young Republicans club in Huntington. They were married for almost 35 years - until his passing on January 18, 2004.

She was a trailblazer in her own way - and never took no for an answer. After college graduation she wanted to attend law school, this at a time when women were being told they could be teachers or nurses or secretaries, but not lawyers. But this only made her more determined to prove the naysayers wrong. She was accepted and attended Albany Law School as one of a handful of women in her first year class.

Family was very important to her and some of her most cherished memories are times spent together with her husband and daughter. Family vacations in particular stand out - including the annual summer pilgrimage to the Balsams in Dixville Notch New Hampshire - where a “gentle” hike to see Moose by the reservoir suggested by her daughter - turned into 4 hours lost in the backwoods - necessitating a rescue by hotel staff - and a vow of never going hiking again.

But she was more than just a wife and mother. Virginia would go on to have not one but two careers. First as a nursery school teacher at Weekday where she would make lifelong friends and learn the skills needed in her next career as a social worker in child protective services. She was a fierce advocate for the children in her care - all the while working tirelessly to help the parents get back on the right track to be reunited with their children. It was a job she loved and excelled at and gave her a sense of accomplishment.

After her husband passed away in 2004, Virginia continued to travel.  This time to visit her daughter and they took numerous trips together. As an armchair Egyptologist with a lifelong fascination of ancient Egypt - a river cruise down the Nile - like in Agatha Christie’s famous novel- was a dream vacation fulfilled - with an unexpected highlight being a camel ride between ancient temples.

In her retirement she had more time to enjoy her New York Time’s crossword puzzles, while discovering new entertainment such as Korean tv shows - more affectionately known as K-dramas.  She also looked forward to her monthly ladies lunch - with a group of fast friends who’ve known each other for decades.

For all who knew her, Virginia’s easy laugh and ready smile will be greatly missed. She’s now reunited with her husband Maurice in Heaven.

Visitation at Nolan Funeral Home, 5 Laurel Ave, Northport, NY, Thursday from 2-5 & 7-9 PM. Prayer service 3 PM during visitation. Burial Friday at Valleau Cemetery, Ridgewood, NJ. Donations can be made in Virginia’s memory to The American Parkinson Disease Association.