Eliza Virginia (Bigliety) Sullivan

-MiddletownEliza Virginia (Bigliety) Sullivan, of Newport and Middletown, RI, passed peacefully of natural causes and surrounded by family, on Thursday December 3, 2015. She was 100 years and 13 days old.Mrs. Sullivan, known to all as Virginia or Ginnie, was born on November 20, 1915, in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert Mathew and Edith Margaret (Milligan) Moulse. Her father was a street car conductor and her mother a housewife. Her father passed away five days before her sixth birthday. She was one of four children. She had three brothers, Joseph Milligan Moulse and Robert Mathew Moulse, both of whom passed away as babies, and Frederick Shelby Moulse, who passed away as a young man. Her mother later married Earle Leon Minto and when Virginia was sixteen, the family moved to Newport, Rhode Island, during the Great Depression, after her father had attained a job at the gum factory on Third Street in Newport. Virginia graduated from Rogers High School in 1934.Virginia married Alexander MacLean Bigliety, Jr. in 1936 and together they had two children, Beverly Virginia Bigliety Paschoal, of Middletown, Rhode Island, and the late Robert "Biggy" MacLean Bigliety. Her husband Alexander passed away in 1952, and she later married the Honorable John Joseph Sullivan in 1957. Mr. Sullivan was a Public Accountant and was the Mayor of Newport, Rhode Island, from 1954 to 1958. Together, they had a daughter, Gail Margaret Sullivan Holmes. He passed away in 1979.Virginia attended IBM Computer School in the 1950's when computers were first being used at the Navy Base. She had an interesting and varied work life, starting with Woolworth's 5 10, and the Franklin Tea House. She later worked for the United States Navy, was as a bookkeeper with her husband's accounting service business, and finally with the State of Rhode Island as Head Clerk of the Family Court in Newport, Rhode Island. She was an avid traveler, visiting Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, Mexico, and many places in the United States. She was most pleased to have had the chance to visit Hawaii three times, her favorite place of all. She also loved yard sales and used to go most weekends with her good friend Helen Dolphus.Virginia was quite active up until her passing, eating lunch daily at the Newport or Middletown Senior Centers, and spending time with her friends. What gave her the most joy in life was spending time with her family, which includes her daughters Beverly and Gail, her grandchildren, Richard Marchetti, Bethany Marchetti Blackard, Todd Paschoal, Heather Paschoal, Jennifer Bigliety, Kendall Tucker Holmes, and Jacqueline Holmes, her Great Grandchildren, Kendra Turner, Courtney Coen, Noah Blackard, Todd Paschoal Junior, Ashtyn Paschoal, Kevin Miniter, and Michael Oatway, and the newest blessing in Virginia's life, her Great Great Grandchild, Ava Turner. Also very much a part of her life were her step grandchildren Cathleen Paschoal deLipski, Francine Paschoal Amaroso, Donna Paschoal McCabe, and David Paschoal, their children and grand children.Virginia recently celebrated her 100th birthday in grand style. Her church, the First Presbyterian, had a party for her after the Sunday service on November 15, 2015. She happily told everyone that "the whole church came to her birthday party." On Friday November 20, her actual birthday, the Middletown Senior Center hosted a party where she received U.S Congressional and Senate Special Recognition, a Resolution and Citation from the State of Rhode Island, a Citation from the Town of Middletown and was presented with the golden cane. The room was full of family and friends who came out to celebrate with her. The weeklong celebration concluded at the Edward King House on Saturday, November 21, 2015 where she was presented a Certificate of Recognition and an Amor Vincet Omia ("Love Conquers All") pin by the City of Newport. Her life was full of love and acceptance of all people, and she in return was loved by those she touched. Hundreds of friends and family stopped by to share stories, laugh, smile and rejoice in a wonderful and beautiful life.There will be calling hours at the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, RI on Friday, December 11, 2015 from 4-8 p.m. There will be a funeral service at the First Presbyterian Church, Corner of Broadway and Everett Street, Newport, RI on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 10 a.m.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Virginia Sullivan's memory to the First Presbyterian Church, 4 Everett Street, Newport, RI 02840; Edward King House, 35 King Street, Newport, RI 02840; or Middletown Senior Center, 650 Green End Avenue, Middletown, RI 02840. Cemetery Details Island Annex Cemetery Newport, RI, Visitation DEC 11. 04:00 PM - 08:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service DEC 12. 10:00 AM First Presbyterian Church Broadway and Everett Street Newport, RI, US