Virginia Marie Vierra-Gamayo's Obituary
Virginia "Ginny" Marie Vierra-Gamayo, 60, passed away on April 20, 2017 at Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu, HI with her family by her side.
She was born in Lihue, Kauai on December 7, 1956 to Joseph Vierra and Clara Costa. She was their only daughter and the youngest of three children. Her brothers, Joseph Jr. and Richard who were 15 and 13 at the time, were often assigned ‘diaper duty.’ Ginny and her mother were inseparable – wherever Clara went, Ginny went, and wherever Ginny went, Clara went – so her mother’s sudden passing when she was 12 was a devastating loss. Despite this hardship, Ginny persevered with inimitable strength and optimism.
After completing elementary and junior high school in Lihue, Ginny attended high school at Saint Francis School in Honolulu as a boarder. She was active in student government and math club. She was very popular as a songleader for Damien Memorial High School and was elected to their homecoming court. She also loved dancing hula and Tahitian. Ginny spoke fondly of her first two years of college at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, especially her time in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She then completed two years of study at the University of Hawaii, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Merchandising in 1978.
After graduating, Ginny began working for American Savings Bank and worked her way up from teller to supervisor. Many of the bank’s patrons were particularly fond of her because of her never-fading, warm smile and kind demeanor while she helped them with their banking needs. This included the man who would later become her husband. On March 10, 1984, Ginny married Willie B. Gamayo in a beautiful dress she sewed herself. Together they had four children to whom she was extremely devoted. Ginny never missed a Christmas program, May Day, soccer game, hula performance, football game, whatever it may have been. She always made goodie bags or baked treats for her children’s classmates on special occasions. She sewed matching outfits for her daughters when they were little girls and prom dresses when they weren’t so little anymore. Ginny’s children were everything to her.
Although Ginny and her husband primarily raised their children in Kailua, HI, from 2004-2008 they lived in Irvine, CA. Her 25 years of experience working at the bank prepared her well for managing the vault for the City of Huntington Beach. Living in southern California suited Ginny and the whole family, particularly since Las Vegas was only a four-hour drive away. Gamayo family vacations usually consisted of trips to California and Las Vegas, so living there was fun for everyone. Even after returning home to Hawaii in 2008, Ginny and her husband continued to make regular trips to CA and Las Vegas, where she loved playing nickel slots and shopping at the outlets. Most recently, Ginny worked as a financial administrator for Lifetouch Photography.
Ginny was the most dedicated and patient mother and wife. She was unendingly sweet and kind to everyone she met. Baking brought her great joy and she loved surprising family, friends, and co-workers with delicious treats. Ginny was loved by everyone who knew her.
Ginny is survived by her husband of 33 years, Willie; children, Ashley Gamayo of New Orleans, LA; Christina (Brad) Santos and Rachel Gamayo of Kailua, HI; and Nathan Gamayo of Long Beach, CA; granddaughter, Emalia Santos; and brother, Joseph. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Joseph and Clara, and brother, Richard.
Ginny’s services will be held at Saint John Vianney Church in Kailua, HI. There will be an evening visitation on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 5:30pm with wake service beginning at 7:00pm. There will also be a morning visitation on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 9:45am with a mass service beginning at 11:00am. The committal service and burial will follow at 2:00pm at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, HI.
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