Obituary of Virginia Lee Gerfen

A graveside service for Virginia Lee Gerfen, 86, of Chico, will be held 1 pm Friday, March 17, 2023 at Glen Oaks Memorial Park in Chico.

Virginia died Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Artesia CA from natural causes.

Born: Virginia Lee Potter on February 22, 1937, in Glendale CA, to Leona and Lawrence Potter. She graduated from Chico High School in 1955. She married George Bye in Chico, 1955. She gave birth to one daughter and two sons: Daniel, Lora, and Steven Bye. She later married Donald Gerfen in 1964 in Chico.

She worked in retail, service, and at Diamond International Mill in Chico.

She was a believer in her Christian faith, and loved to help others and volunteered her time. For many Christmas seasons, Virginia devoted many hours as a Bell Ringer for the Salvation Army, a task that brought her great joy.

In addition to her husband, Don; she is survived by son, Daniel Joaquin Bye of Red Bluff; daughter, Lora Mae Phillips of Lexington TN; stepdaughter, Bonnie Zittel of Chico; sister-in-law, Judy Brillhart of Durham; eight grandchildren: Daniel T. Bye, Paul Bye, Sarah Quaife, Jennifer Bray, Brian Phillips, Todd Zittel, Jesse Zittel, and Joey Zittel; and nine great-grandchildren.