Virginia Lee Sullivan Ortolani's Obituary
On April 14, 2016, we lost our mother. Virginia Lee Sullivan Ortolani was
born on July 6th, 1930, in Alva, Oklahoma, to Virgil and Bonnie Sullivan.
She was a little girl with big dreams. She made those dreams come true
when she fell in love during a college class in Pittsburg, Kansas. She
sat behind a boy with coal black hair and deep brown eyes. She knew at
that moment that he was the one who would walk beside her in life and
wait at Heaven’s gate ready to lead her home again. This beauty queen
from Kansas married her city boy from New York on a beautiful summer
day in June of 1951, and they spent their lives together until he
preceded her in death on November 28, 2008.
Virginia was known throughout Southeast Kansas as the Crystal Lady
due to her success with Princess House Crystal. She worked with
Princess House as a Regional Manager for over two decades and made
many friends in her travels! She earned several accolades and
received award after award for her ability to sell the product that she
loved! She was known for her smile, laughter, and fun-loving
personality! She also worked seasonally at Pittsburg State University
helping students with scheduling and enrollment. Virginia was wonderful
with people and thrived in settings where she could help and interact
with others.
Her greatest accomplishment in life was her family. She raised five kids
with a loving and patient heart. Our family is who we are because of our
mother and her unconditional love for us! As our family grew so did her
joy and love. The Ortolani Sunday lunches were legendary to all those
around us and they were made possible because our mom was willing to
prepare a meal for thirty plus people every Sunday after church! We
made memories around that kitchen table as laughter filled the house.
Sharing food, stories, and love was a family tradition that our mom
started and fostered; we were rich because of her. Dad may have been
the head of the family, but our mom was our heart. She showed us how
to love, she sang to us, read us stories, held our hand, chased away
nightmares, and taught us how to be dreamers. This girl, who didn’t
have much growing up, gave us the world!
Virginia will be met in Heaven by her father, Virgil, and her mother,
Bonnie. They will be so very proud of the incredible woman she became
and how she honored them throughout her life. She will get to hold her
granddaughter, Kate Grimaldi, in her arms and tell her how much we
love her! She has many Aunts and Uncles that she will be pleased to
see along with some great friends whom she has missed terribly. She
will be able to sit down with Mary Conely and Sue McCaskill to play some
cards and talk about the old neighborhood: filling Heaven’s kitchen with
laughter. What a gift that will be for her, but the biggest gift will be her
taking her husband’s hand again and continuing their love affair. My
dad didn’t want her to rush, but he has missed having her by his side.
No measure of time would have been long enough so they settled for
forever.
Virginia is survived by her five children: Alfred F. Ortolani, Jr. and his
wife Sherri, Debbie Grimaldi and her husband Gary, Jamie Ortolani and
his wife Jenny, Dianna Holman and her husband Mike, and Jennifer
Tavernaro and her husband Bobby. Her grandchildren filled her house
with life and joy. They are: Kari Reeves and her husband Blane, Abbey
Cummings and her husband Rob, Theresa Middleton and her husband
Wes, Will Crozier, Tyler Allen, Joe Holman and his wife Ashton, Staci
Allen and her fiancée Jordan, Nick Holman, Nate Grimaldi, Andrew
Ortolani, Anna Holman, Olivia Tavernaro, Josh Ortolani, and Sullivan
Tavernaro (Sully). Her great grandchildren brought another level of joy
to Virginia. They are: Jackson Reeves, Ava Middleton, Rider Middleton,
Kate Poling, Ayden Crozier, Grace Crozier, Jace Cummings,
Elly Holman, and coming soon Baby Cummings. She is also survived by
her loving sister, Delores Keiter and her husband Gene, and brother-in-
laws, Frank Ortolani and his wife Rita, and Emil Ortolani and his wife
Rosie, along with her many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00am Monday April 18, 2016 at the
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frontenac, KS with Fr. Thomas Stroot
and Fr. Larry Parker as celebrants. Burial will follow at the Highland
Park Cemetery in Pittsburg, KS. Rosary will be recited at 7:00pm
Sunday April 17, 2016 at the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home in Pittsburg, KS;
family will receive friends following the rosary. I lieu of flowers the family
asks expressions of sympathy to be in the form or memorials to the St.
Pius X Newman Center. Friends may drop off or mail memorials to the
Bath-Naylor Funeral Home 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762. E-
mail condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements are
by Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg, KS.
What’s your fondest memory of Virginia?
What’s a lesson you learned from Virginia?
Share a story where Virginia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Virginia you’ll never forget.
How did Virginia make you smile?