Virginia (Blaha) Deniston-DiFebo

Virginia A. Deniston-DiFebo (nee Blaha) passed on peacefully to her loving Lord on January 8, 2022, one month prior her 100th birthday. Virginia, (“Ginny” or Grandma “D” – as she was fondly known) was born in Chicago on February 8,1922 to Otto J. and Ruth M. (Tyrrell) Blaha.

A devout Catholic, she attended Our Lady of Mercy grammar school and graduated from Immaculata High School where she was actively involved in acting and dancing, two activities she dearly loved, and continued to love all her adult life. After graduation, she attended Jones Secretarial school to hone her skills at typing, short-hand, and accounting. She loved numbers and could do math in her sleep. 

She married Frank A. Deniston in 1941, and together they had 3 children: a boy and two girls. Unfortunately, after 17 years of a loving marriage, Frank passed away at the early age of 40. Ginny, at 36 years of age, a strong and spiritual woman, accepted the challenge, and for the next 27 years she devoted her life to successfully caring for, and raising, her children. 

After serving in several positions with various companies, she went to work for Kelly Systems, Inc where she became a valued employee, spending 39 years as their Corporate Secretary. 

In 1982, Ginny met Ralph F. DiFebo, a successful realtor, as members of the Knusman Amvets Post, where they fell in love and married in 1984. Ginny and Ralph, who passed in 2012, spent 26 happy and wonderful years together. 

Ginny, always active, contributed to the lives of many, including, 25 years of service for the Ted Knusman Amvets Auxiliary #13, as Secretary and Community Service Chairman, as well as Past President’s chair. She also volunteered for programs such as WTTW, Little Brothers of the Poor, as Hospital Chairman for the Amvets serving Hines Hospital, Park Ridge Center for Concern, School District 64’s Senior Volunteers Program, and Maryville Academy. Not one to sit still, Ginny got involved with Park Ridge Senior Center, dancing and performing in their yearly variety shows, mostly dancing, which she loved from her early childhood days, and really performed so wonderfully, to the delight of her family and all who knew her.

Ginny loved and cherished her family, her children, their spouses, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, and recently, her great, great grandchild, who she was thrilled to see and lovingly held in her arms. Her stepchildren and their families played a significant role in her life, and she cherished all of them as well.

Ginny is survived by her children, Kathleen (Edward) Gleason, Frank (Paulette) Deniston and Denise (James) Joyce, as well as 9 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and her recent great, great grandchild. She is also survived by her stepchildren, Frank DiFebo, Mary (Tom) Bromann, Patricia (Larry) Cima, Ralph (Andrea) DiFebo, and many, many nephews, and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her brothers, Stanley Blaha and Paul (the late Winnie) Blaha, her granddaughter, Noreen (nee Gleason) (Jeff) Armstrong, and stepdaughter, Alice (nee DiFebo) (David) Lachman.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend to many, and she will be lovingly remembered and missed by all. At home with the Lord, we thank Him for letting us have her for all these years.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research or Maryville Academy. 

Visitation will be at Cooney Funeral Home, 625 Busse Hwy, Park Ridge, IL, on Monday, January 17, from 3 PM to 7 PM. Lying in state January 18, from 9:30 AM until Mass at 10:30 AM at St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, 411 N Wheeling Rd, Prospect Heights, IL. interment All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines. Live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube https://www.facebook.com/saintalphonsusliguori/  For more information, please call 847-685-1002 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com 

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