Virginia Anne (Herbin) Parolisi, 85, passed into Heaven on February 20, 2017, at Avalon Senior Living in Dallas, Texas.
Virginia was born on July 17, 1931 in Lynn, Massachusetts to John Herbin and Rose (Lee) Herbin. She lived in Swampscott, Massachusetts until she was 7 years old when her family moved to Rockland, Massachusetts. She graduated from Rockland High School where she was an honor roll student and the captain of the women’s basketball team. She then attended nursing school at New England Baptist in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a registered nurse for over 50 years, first working at the Lahey Clinic in Boston for several years where she assisted in some of the earliest neurosurgery procedures. She later worked at the Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, Massachusetts. It was while working at Holy Family that Virginia met and married her soulmate, Edward Parolisi, to whom she was married for 51 wonderful years, until his passing in 2015.
Career caretaker as a nurse was surpassed only as lifelong caretaker of her husband and family. Virginia and Edward were both individuals of great faith, generosity and warmth and they lived their lives as examples to everyone in the close and loving family that they created including 3 children, 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Virginia’s many interests included sewing, cooking, painting, bowling and tennis. She was an avid watcher of sports, particularly basketball and football and was a passionate fan of the New England Patriots. And, even in her mid-80’s, she understood that air pressure naturally drops with temperature. However, beyond all of her many passions and interests, her greatest love was for her family, whom she cared for every moment of her life. Cheerleader at every one of her granddaughters’ sporting events, spaghetti sauce provider for the whole family, thoughtful gift giver, and curator of the best collection of grandchildren photographs ever – these are just some of the blessings she brought to her family. Throughout her life, her greatest joy was always found in seeing her family be happy, and constantly doing everything she could to ensure that happiness. Though she is already greatly missed, her family is content in knowing that she has been reunited in Heaven with her dear husband and that they are with us still, taking joy in every moment of their family’s happiness.
Virginia was predeceased by her husband, Edward, her mother, Rose, her father, John, and her two siblings, sister Maureen Herbin and brother Lee Herbin. She is survived by daughter Barbara (Parolisi) Blaney and her husband, Scott, of North Andover, Massachusetts, son Edward Parolisi and his wife, Beth (Plentzas) of Rye, New Hampshire, and son John Parolisi and wife, Julia (Jensen) of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren – Brooke (Blaney) Daley and her husband, Scott of Franklin, Massachusetts, Michaela Blaney of North Andover, Massachusetts, Jack Parolisi and Erin Parolisi of Dallas, Texas - and by 2 great-grandchildren - Gryffin Daley and Grier Daley of Franklin, Massachusetts.
Friends and guests are invited to call on Saturday, February 25, 2017 from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence St. Methuen. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place immediately following calling hours beginning promptly at 11:00 AM at St. Monica’s Parish of Methuen. Interment to follow at Elmwood Cemetery of Methuen. For directions and online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website, www.pollardfuneralhome.com. The Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home is honored to serve the Parolisi Family.