Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Chepiga, Frances September 2, 2009 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 April 4, 2022, 11:14 am Virginian-Pilot September 4, 2009 VIRGINIA BEACH - Frances Chepiga, nee Karasek, died Sept. 2, 2009, at the age of 92. She was born in Herkimer, N.Y., but her family moved to New York City when she was just 1-year-old. She worked for a time in the fashion industry in Manhattan, custom-designing and sewing gowns for some of the famous stars of film and stage. After her marriage, she devoted herself to her family and became active in her children's schools, working as a fundraiser. She started a Mission Guild in the 1960s, in which she organized many workers who produced countless hand-made vestments for priests who served in mission fields throughout the world. She spent much of her life co-chairing large financial campaigns with her husband, Michael, for her church, St. Stephen of Hungary, and the archdiocese of New York. She freely gave of herself to work in her church office, keeping hand records of all parishioners, before the age of computers. She sewed and cooked for the priests and nuns, and did it all while making handmade custom clothes for her children and always being their inspiration and support in all their undertakings. She was a generous giver who never gave less than 100% of her self to others. For her devotion to the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province, she was received into the First Order of Friars Minor in 1978, an honor bestowed on few. She relocated to Virginia Beach in 2000. She was predeceased by her loving husband and coworker of 64 years, Michael. She is survived by her daughters, Frances, and husband, Donald, and Ann, and husband, Rudy; her sons, Michael, and wife, Pamela, and Stephen, and wife, Maureen. She also leaves eight grandchildren, Donna, Michelle, Chris, Ann, Rudy, Geoffrey, Emily and Katie; and six great-grandchildren, Griffin, Garrick, Julian, Caroline, Sydney and Amelia. A Rosary will be said at 6 p.m. today in H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel. A Mass of Christian burial will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Norfolk. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/obits/c/chepiga2253nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/vafiles/ File size: 2.7 Kb