Vi was born at home in Chicago, IL, in 1919 to Alexander “Mike” and Lily Cecilia (nee Arvidson) Ziccarelli and died in Seattle, WA, 2/23/2019. She married John McShea in 1941, and they had two daughters, Maureen Frances (1948 - 2007) and Patricia Ann (born 1950) McShea. After they divorced Vi married Risley McNamee (died 1970). Vi then had a lovely 30-year relationship with her cohort in fun, Ralph L. Harper (died 2003 at age 95).
Vi worked her entire life at clerk-type positions, including, after moving to Seattle in 1962, 21 years with Boeing in Quality Assurance at Plant 2. She worked to live but she lived to have fun. She was willing to try anything, even later in life: horseback riding, repairing boat engines, sailing, fishing, bowling (till age 91), golfing, rockhounding, winemaking, gourmet cooking. She loved gardening, traveling, and dogs.
Everyone loved her because she was kind, gentle, independent, nonjudgmental, and the best listener ever. Her motto was live and let live; and she quietly did things her own way. She survived family losses, breast cancer, knee and hip replacements, and the ordinary blows of life by sheer grit, a positive spirit, and a daily glass of wine. She took a daily walk even at age 99.
Vi is survived by her daughter Pat, sister-in-law June Ziccarelli, niece Lynn Stavrakis, and nephews Michael and Jay Ziccarelli and their families. No service is planned. Remembrances to the Medic One Foundation or your favorite charity.