Individual Details
Virginia Lee Van Cleave
(26 Apr 1934 - 15 Nov 2017)
Virginia Lee Briles, 83, passed away peacefully on Wednesday November 15th 2017 after a brief illness.
Visitation 1-8pm Friday, December 1, with family present 4-6pm; funeral service 2pm Saturday, December 2, both at Smith Mortuary, 1415 N. Rock Road, Derby. Interment will be family only.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, William (Bill) Briles, and her parents, Horace and Dora Van Cleave.
A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, Virginia was born April 26, 1934 in Liberty, Kansas. She married the love of her life, Bill Briles, as he headed out for the Korean War, and when he returned, she cheerfully and loyally supported him through his undergraduate degrees in engineering and business at Kansas State University. With gratitude in his voice, Bill often said the diploma belonged to both of them.
Virginia loved God, her family, and purple martins, and she was known for the bird houses that she carefully tended in her backyard. She enjoyed her grandchildren and quiet mornings on her porch. Before moving to Tulsa, OK, Virginia was a long-time resident of Derby, Kansas, and she leaves many friends there.
She is survived by her son, Mark and wife Gina; grandsons, Jake and Justin of Derby, KS; son, Scott and wife Carolyn; grandsons Conrad and Chase of Leesburg, Virginia; and sister, Judy Lundy and her family of Bixby, OK.
Visitation 1-8pm Friday, December 1, with family present 4-6pm; funeral service 2pm Saturday, December 2, both at Smith Mortuary, 1415 N. Rock Road, Derby. Interment will be family only.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, William (Bill) Briles, and her parents, Horace and Dora Van Cleave.
A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, Virginia was born April 26, 1934 in Liberty, Kansas. She married the love of her life, Bill Briles, as he headed out for the Korean War, and when he returned, she cheerfully and loyally supported him through his undergraduate degrees in engineering and business at Kansas State University. With gratitude in his voice, Bill often said the diploma belonged to both of them.
Virginia loved God, her family, and purple martins, and she was known for the bird houses that she carefully tended in her backyard. She enjoyed her grandchildren and quiet mornings on her porch. Before moving to Tulsa, OK, Virginia was a long-time resident of Derby, Kansas, and she leaves many friends there.
She is survived by her son, Mark and wife Gina; grandsons, Jake and Justin of Derby, KS; son, Scott and wife Carolyn; grandsons Conrad and Chase of Leesburg, Virginia; and sister, Judy Lundy and her family of Bixby, OK.
Events
| Birth | 26 Apr 1934 | ||||
| Death | 15 Nov 2017 | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |  | ||
| Burial | Hillcrest Cemetery, Derby, Sedgwick, Kansas, United States |
Families
| Spouse | William H Briles (1932 - 2012) |
| Child | Mark Briles ( - ) |
| Child | Scott Briles ( - ) |
Endnotes
1. Smith Family Service-Death Notice.