A celebration of the life of Mrs. Virginia J. Lybrand will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 11a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. George K. Howle officiating. Inurnment will take place at Aiken Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Child Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 1763, Aiken, SC 29802-1763, the Cumbee Center, P.O. Box 1293, Aiken, SC 29802, or the Christian Appalachian Project, P.O. Box 55911, Lexington, Ky. 40555. Mrs. Lybrand, 92, of Aiken, died Saturday, September 18, 2010, at her residence. Virginia's life was one of courage in the face of many personal tragedies that seemed to haunt her, deep devotion to her community and the causes in which she believed and hope for a better tomorrow. She was filled with a giving spirit that touched all who knew her and worked with her. Born in North Bay, NY, she was the daughter of the late George N. and Bertha L. Hensen Janes. She was a 1939 graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in business and did post-graduate study in advertising at the University of Buffalo. She moved to Aiken in 1945. Virginia retired from the Aiken Standard in 1983 with over 25 years of service as an advertising representative. A member of St. John's United Methodist Church, Virginia passionately believed in sharing her time, her business and leadership skills with several organizations that included WOW Wise Outrageous Women and Red Hat Society, past president of the Aiken Business and Professional Women, member Aiken Chamber of Commerce, executive board of the United Way, steering committee of Aiken's Makin and the American Legion Auxiliary. For over two decades she devoted herself to the Aiken County Mental Health Association. She believed fervently in the work of the former St. Joseph Hospital in Augusta and the USCA Pacer Club as year after year she would launch campaigns to raise money for their programs. For 20 years, she was a regular vendor at Aiken's Makin jamming her freezer with homemade cheese straws and other baked goods. One of Virginia's proudest moments came when she was part of the team at Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn that created the Chiquita banana jingle, one of the most successful commercial jingles ever. Some would say it is still the top banana. Although Virginia was a child of the Great Depression and fortunate that her father had a steady job and there was always food on the table, she was very much aware of the suffering of people who go to bed hungry. At times before she became ill she could be found on Saturday morning serving at the St. Thaddeus Soup Kitchen. Several months ago she designated winter clothing to be sent to the Christian Appalachian Project because of the cold in the mountains. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husbands, Wade Lamar Quarles, Sebie Lybrand, daughter Wendy Louis Quarles Hoy to whom she had donated a kidney, granddaughter, Wendy Ann Lovaasen Bowen. Virginia is survived by her great grandsons, Donald M. Bowen, Matthew Bowen, and several nieces and nephews.