Virginia Lyons O'Neill, age 97 of Big Rapids, passed away Thursday, July 11, 2013 at Clare Bridge Assisted Living in Portage, Michigan. A life long resident of Mecosta County, Virginia was born to Elizabeth Biehler and Willard Lyons at the Biehler farmhouse in Stanwood. She attended school in Stanwood up to the tenth grade and graduated from Big Rapids high school in 1931. It was in her senior year of high school that her parents moved to Big Rapids into the house where Virginia resided the rest of her adult life. She married Ed O'Neill on July 5, 1941 and he was the love of her life for the 55 years that they were married. Virginia was a homemaker, wife, mother and beloved grandmother. She was known for her love of poetry, her ability to create beautiful floral arrangements and was a remarkable seamstress. She loved playing cards and dancing. She was even known to call a square dance or two. She was an active member of the Big Rapids First United Methodist Church where she was a past president of the United Methodist Women, church historian and honored as A Second Century Woman. Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, her husband on November 7, 1996, her sister Betty Beaton of Stanwood and her brother Willard Lyons of Grandville. She is survived by her son Gary (Susan Orr) of Portage and granddaughters Kathleen (Alfredo) Aleman of Portage and Becky (Steve) Norgrove of Rochester Hills. She leaves behind 7 great grandchildren: Cruz, Noah, Elena and Gabriel Aleman and Delaney, Jenna, and Stevie Norgrove; a sister-in-law, Wanda Lyons of Grandville; and many nieces and nephews. The funeral service for Virginia will be Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 11 AM at the Daggett-Gilbert Funeral Home in Big Rapids. A visitation beginning at 10 AM will precede the funeral. Memorials may be made to the Big Rapids First United Methodist Church.