Longtime Island resident Virginia Tabafunda, age 78, died Jan. 31 at her island home.

She was born Feb. 28, 1924 in New Westminster, British Columbia, to George and Agnes (Phillips) Andrews.

She attended boarding school in Kamloops, B.C., where she learned to play organ for mass. In 1942, she moved to Bainbridge island to help her cousin Eve Rico with her new baby.

It was here she met and married Paul Tabafunda that year. Together, they bought a berry farm on Tolo road in 1946.

Virginia was a homemaker and caregiver and became a U.S. citizen in 1967. She enjoyed playing bingo, attending garage sales, shopping in second-hand stores, and traveling to Canada and Montana.

She was devoted to her church, knitting, home canning, and making her own wool yarn which she carded and spun. She was also adept at astrology and could predict all her children’s fortunes.

She was preceded in death by her husband on Jan. 16.

She is survived by three sons, Florentino “Sonny,” Randy and Gene, all of Bainbridge Island; six daughters, Patricia Flores of Suquamish, Carmen Voorhees of Poulsbo, Bernice Williams of Seattle, Marcelina Tabafunda of Bainbridge Island, Elina Tabafunda-Tageant of Canada, and Barbara Schaeffer of Suquamish; and 29 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.

The rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Feb. 4, with funeral services to be held at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 5, with both services at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Bainbridge Island.

Arrangements are under the direction of Kass Funeral Home, Bainbridge Island.