Obituary of Virginia Tomasheski

Virginia Eulailia Dillon Tomasheski, 87, peacefully passed away on August 22, 2020 in Palm Bay, Florida. 

Virginia was born in Roanoke, Virginia on January 12, 1933 towards the end of the Great Depression.  She was the oldest child of four to Margaret Ruth and Willie Leroy Dillon, and was predeceased by her parents and her siblings Harold, Barbara and Steven.

She always looked after others, and forever on would “mother” anyone younger than she.  As a teenager in Keyport, NJ, she babysat for Bruce Springsteen when he was a toddler and was high school friends with his cousin.  Virginia was named after her Aunt Virginia who passed away before she could ever get to know her.  Wildly inquisitive, she got the nickname Boo at a very young age and to this day, many of her cousins only refer to her by that name.

Highly creative, Boo painted storefronts while in high school in Keyport, and could illustrate portraits, landscapes, still life or anything without ever taking an art class.  Talented in more ways than one could imagine, she was Captain of the Varsity Cheerleaders and named Best Dancer in high school, and Virginia also sang in bars with her best friend Joan Hopla under the name The Dilhop Duo.

She met the love of her life, Chester while still in high school, yet played it cool because she was dating his friend.  While the friend left to join the service, Chet was asked to look after his buddy’s car and girl.  It wasn’t long before Chet was taking Virginia out on dates in his buddy’s car.  Married young at 19 and 21 at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, the two set up house in an apartment that they would move out of to take a vacation, and then move back in once they got home so they could save money while Chet was in the service.  Money was tight, she worked two jobs while encouraging him to complete his service and go on to college.  While in Illinois, Virginia worked as the personal assistant to Dr. John Bardeen – Nobel prize winner and one of the inventors of the transistor - in the University of Illinois’s Physics Department.

For entertainment, Chet and Virginia enjoyed warm donuts, drive-in movies and having friends over to play cards.  They moved around from Illinois and back to New Jersey where Virginia held another esteemed position at Metal & Thurmit as a personal assistant to Marguerite Chapman and Dr. Marie Farnsworth.

While living in New Jersey, their first daughter Gail was born in 1960.  Soon Chet’s career took them to Florida where their second daughter Lynn was born in 1963.  Florida would be their home for the next 60 years.

Virginia made her daughters miniature versions of her own dresses, explored the beaches, the rivers and the area with them in tow, and exposed her young girls to new places, new foods and new ideas.

She kept a lovely home tastefully decorated and always neat and tidy.  She entertained her husband’s co-workers and customers and wowed them with her exceptional cooking.  A generous hostess with a flair for entertaining, she was even more generous when visiting others.

When her daughters grew older, she embarked on a career of her own opening The Seaside Wine & Cheese Shoppe in Indialantic across the street from the Atlantic beaches.  She became known for her catering talents and custom gift baskets.  She played tennis, bridge and volunteered – her circle of friends cast a wide net and her appreciation for diversity allowed her to develop many cherished friendships.

After Chet retired, they set about spending half a year in Florida and the other half in Beech Mountain, NC.  They were very lucky to enjoy close to 25 years of back and forth spending time with family and friends at either home.  She dabbled in business again by filling a booth in a consignment shop with treasures she had or would come across.  She volunteered again with the Beech Mountain Garden Club.  She made new friends.  And she continued to be the gracious hostess, loving wife, caring mother and adoring grandmother and great grandmother.

She loved many things…. first and foremost, her family.  Tennis on a sunny and mild Florida day.  A cool, crisp glass of Chardonnay on the deck of their mountain home. Lobsters for dinner on Christmas day.  Sending treats, packages and notes to those, she loved.  Helping others.  Setting a beautiful table.  David’s Butter Pecan Cookies. Any and all holidays.  Picnics.  Costume jewelry.  Leopard patterned shoes.  Handwritten notes.  Lace and hand-embroidered linens.  Painting her nails.  Fine china and crystal.  Cherub statues.  White wicker porch furniture. Framed mirrors.  Stained glass. African violets.  And life itself.

Left to cherish her memory is her devoted husband of 68 years, Chester James Tomasheski, her daughters, Gail (Steve) and Lynn (Scott), her grandsons Steven (Jessica), Thomas and Cameron, and her great granddaughter Lauren, as well as her beloved brother-in-law Richard Tomasheski and many cousins, nieces and nephews, extended family relatives and close friends.

A private memorial service will be held Saturday, September 5th at their Florida home.

Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so to their favorite charity in Virginia’s honor. 

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