Virginia Lee Viles

"If death comes, and sure as it may, just tell it I “lived” and not “survived”. Oh Great Spirit, may the winds carry my memory and dry the tears of those I love"

Obituary

On Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, at 2:57PM Virginia Lee Viles (72 years old) passed away in Arlington Texas surrounded by the love of her Husband, Tony Viles, her son, Tony Bradley Viles, and her daughter, Lisa Anne Viles after a brief battle with cancer. Virginia (Gini), was born in Austin, Texas on May 19, 1952 to Gerald (Bud) Vincent Harris, and Helen Mildred (Mille) Harris.
Her parents moved to Port Isabel, Texas where they went into business together starting with Captain Buds Manufacturing, from there they opened many other businesses. In the following years Virginia quickly became a big sister, a loving caregiver and ultimate torturer (in the best way) to her 4 brothers. Robert (Bobby), Terry, Daniel, and John. Virginia Graduated from Port Isabel High School in 1970, and studied Sociology at the University of Austin, Texas. From there she went on to working with the Cameron County Housing Authority.

Virginia met her husband, Tony Viles in Port Isabel, Texas. Tony and Virginia lived in Brownsville where they had their first child together, Tony Bradley Viles in 1981, and stayed there until Tony was offered a position in Houston where they moved to and had their second child, Lisa Anne Viles in 1986. Virginia worked for the Houston Housing Authority until 1991 when the family moved to North Texas and she started her own business, Housing and Computer Resources and Development. Her years of experience and dedication in the Public Housing field led her to a life-long career that has helped many public housing authorities and is being carried on to this day by her daughter Lisa. 

In 2006, Virginia moved to Terlingua, Texas to explore her Native culture. She quickly became friends and was adopted into the Lakota tribe. She was given the name "NightSun".  She became a medicine woman and learned the ways of using the land, provided by the Great Spirit, to heal. Along her journey, she met so many incredible friends who became close family to her. One of her favorite stories to tell was that of the Sundance in South Dakota where she traveled with her friend Susan, and she spent the week, dancing, beating on her drums, praying to the great spirit, being one with the land, and creating lasting and loving memories for a lifetime and beyond.

Gini loved music, art, painting, and drawing. She was an avid photographer, always capturing the beauty of the west Texas and coastal skies, reminding us that our planet, and nature provide so much beauty into our lives. She shared these images with her clients daily in all her morning emails, welcoming the day with bright images and beautiful messages to her colleagues and friends.. She created a book of all her photos to share with the world that can be found on Amazon. "spirited away... the beginning.., a personal journey by Virgina "Nightsun" Viles. She loved creating native jewelry, shopping, vacationing, dining, and anything that would put a smile on her family's face. She was an incredibly strong woman, with a servant's heart of gold,  and she was always looking out for everyone.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Gallery

Memory wall