
Virginia Simpson Raisty was born December 15, 1944 in England. She and her mother came to the United States aboard the Queen Mary, as part of the World War II War Bride Voyages to reunite with her father. She grew up in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts and then moved to Southern California at the age of 9. She attended Bryson Avenue Elementary and South Gate Junior and Senior High Schools.
In junior high she was the "prettiest lady" Mike O'Donnell (S'62) ever saw and they became sweethearts. In high school, her close friends were Vernice Raisty Daugherty (S'62), Joanne Barker (S'62), and Linda Swickard Kurtz (S'62) and she was in Rambleretts. With her friendship with Vernice, she met her brother, Bill Raisty (S'59), they fell in love and became a couple. Being the lovely young lady she was, Virginia had the honor of being awarded First Runner-up in the Miss South Gate Beauty Pagaent and was in the Rose Parade that year.
After graduation from South Gate, Virginia attended East Los Angeles Junior College. She and Bill married in Las Vegas just after he was drafted for the Viet Nam War. After Bill returned, he went to work as a Deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and they started their family. Their daughter Rachael was born in 1972, and son, John, in 1976. She raised her children and had a successful career as a Benefits Administrator for Southern California Edison Company. After retiring, Virginia invested in a avocado grove in Bonsall, where she lived with her family and indulged in her love of plants while helping to raise her granddaughters Erica, Nikki, and Alexus. She also has twin grandchildren, Nathan and Natalie.
After Bill's death in 2004, she sold the avocado grove and moved to San Marcos with her mother, whom she cared for until her passing. Virginia had some health issues and lived with her daughter, who cared for her until her passing September 16, 2024. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends. Rest in peace, dear Classmate.
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Judy Hanson (Dillard)
So sad to see another classmate gone. Prayers and Blessings for the Family. Rest in Peace
Bonnie Benson (Concialdi)
So sad to hear of Virginia's passing. I remember her from junior high and high school when I hung out with Vernice Raisty and Sally Buma. Virginia was in our "friends group" and she was a lovely, sweet young lady then! I was impressed when she was 1st Runner-up at the Miss South Gate Contest and we all thought it was cute that she liked Vernice's brother and they ended up getting married! Lost contact with her through the years but we would briefly reconnect at some of our reunions, particularly the 50th, and I always enjoyed her company and the "girls" (Vernice, Joanne, Linda, and Virginia)! We were looking forward to the "girls" hopefully coming to our 60th, but because of health issues and Covid no one came and they were dearly missed! Wish we could have had more time together!!