Virginia Daffin Skilling McNeil, was born August 22, 1920 at the Good Samiritan Hospital, Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Helen Bower and Harold C. Skilling. She attended University of Oregon 1938 – 1939, and University of Washington 1940-42. In 1941 she was the President of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. In 1942 she began working for Boeing Aircraft‘s Engineering Department in Seattle. In 1944 she went to work for Lockheed-Vega a Handbook Groups as Technical Illustrator, where she was awarded a commendation from the Navy for her work on their Navy Service Manual. In 1947 she went to work at Catalogue and Advertising as Production Manager of Technical Handbooks, until she resigned to go to Japan, where she spent two years traveling with her family. In 1948 she worked at 8th Army Ordinance, Tokyo Engineering works as an Engineering Aide as a GS-6. In 1950 she went t work at Cannon and Sullivan in Hollywood, where she wrote the Instruction and Parts Manuals for the first three of the Navy’s experimental attack snorkel submarines. In 1955 she was married to Duncan McNeil and moved to Los Angeles. Virginia gave birth to Catherine Ann December 15, 1955 at Kaiser Hospital in Hollywood, California. March 14, 1957 Duncan Joseph McNeil Jr.( III). Alan James McNeil was born on May 10, 1958. In 1976 Virginia traveled to Europe with her daughter Cathy, they visited England, Scotland, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Amsterdam. She returned to Europe in 1977 with her sister Helen, they visited Germany, Denmark, Holland, France-Perris-Chateau Thierry, Austria, and then back to Germany. August of 1980 Virginia moved to Hemet. Virginia continued her travels taking small trips through out the United States and Mexico. Virginia’s father passed away in May of 1982. She then lost her mother in October of 1983. In 1984 Virginia returned to school at Mt. San Jacinto College. In 1984 Virginia took trips to the Soviet Union for 16 days, and then to the Orient for 23 days where she visited China, Japan, Tailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Philippines. In 1985 she spent 18 days in the Canadian Rockies. She then spent 14 days in Alaska in August of 1986. October of 1986, Virginia went to Copper Canyon where she visited Los Mochis , El Fuerte, Chihuahua Pacific Train, Cherachahui, Divisadero, Creel(Tarahumara Indians), San Ignacio, Chihuahua, and El Paso. She continued to take classes at Mt. San Jacinto College from 1987-1990. In 1990 she spent the Fall Semester at University of London Program, Bloomsbury Center, Southern California Foothills Consortium with Citrus College and American Institute for Foreign Study. During this study her courses were Introduction to English Literature, History of Western Civilization, British Life and Culture. During her semester break abroad she visited England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. In October 1994 The Frontier Story was published by Journal of the West. In August 1995, Virginia took a Civil War Cruise, Mississippi Queen Steamboating on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. They stopped at Chattanooga, Decatur, Shiloh-Savannah, Paducah, Dover-Fort Donelson, and spent 2 extra nights in Nashville. In April 1996 She did the Civil War on the Gulf Coast through H.A. Tours which she visited Ft. Jackson, Ft. Gaines and Ft. Morgan, Ft. Barrancas, Ft. Benning, Andersonville, and Atlanta. In September of 1996 she went back to Shiloh with H.A. Tours and gave Stacy a story on Josiah at Siege of Corinth. In November 1996 she took the American Revolution tour through H.A. Tours, where she went to parts of North Carolina and Georgia. In 1997 She took the Coastal War Tour with H.A. Tours which was a 400 mile round trip from Norfolk, Virginia to Petersburg and Pamplin Park, back to Norfolk(Fortress Monroe), Dam No. 1, Yorktown, Portsmouth, Elizabeth City, Cape Hatteras, Williamston, and Albermarle Sound, Plymouth Washington, New Bern, Atlantic Beach, Fort Fisher-Wilmington, Kinston, Raleigh. 1998 was spent writing her book, she did not participate in any travels. In 1999 she completed the Civil War Cruise, American Queen Steam Boating on the Mississippi with H.A Tours this tour consisted of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, and Memphis. Virginia spent 2000-2005 writing about the Civil War and going on various Civil War Trips. In 2006 Virginia took a cruise with Alan and Shari, and after the cruise began living with them. Virginia lived an extremely full and complete life and touched many people in a very positive way. Virginia passed away on Friday April 6, 2012. She will truly be missed. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Miller-Jones Mortuary- Hemet.