Virginia Anita Herrera Gutierrez Aguirre Wiglesworth passed away on May 8, 2026 in Hermiston at the age of 83.
Virginia Herrera, daughter of Ralph Herrera Sr. and Candelaria (Marez) Herrera, was born in Lingle, Wyo. on May 21, 1942.
The family moved to Sidney, Neb. when she was just a girl. Her love of music and dancing was something she carried throughout her life. She would often enter dance competitions early in her adult life, as well as go dancing with friends and family whenever she could. Even in her final days, you would find her dancing in the bed and enjoying the songs being played.
She was united in marriage to Henry Gutierrez Sr. on Sept. 7, 1962 in Bridgeport, Neb. and they had two children together – Henry and Doreen. They spent a lot of time at family get-togethers, where she and her sisters could be found making fresh tortillas and Spanish food. She worked as a cook for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for many years. After Henry Sr. passed away on March 5, 1981, she continued to focus on her family and married Victor Aguirre in July 1983. They moved to many places in California and eventually settled in Hermiston with their daughter, Annette. There she worked in the potato factory as a line operator until she retired. After her divorce from Victor, she eventually met Eugene Wiglesworth at a grocery store where they were both shopping for quick meals. They fell in love and were married on Dec. 4, 2013.
Survivors include her children, Doreen (Jason) Scow and Henry (Penny) Gutierrez of Sidney, Neb. and Annette Aguirre of Hermiston; two brothers, Mac (Nancy) Herrera of Greeley, Colo. and Jerry (Julie) Herrera of Sidney, Neb.; two sisters, Liz (Ces) Ramirez and Della Hernandez of Greeley, Colo.; Victor Aguirre, father of Annette, of Hermiston; six grandchildren – Jacob Schaub of Palmdale, Calif., Joshua Schaub of Sidney, Neb., Christopher (Alaina) Gutierrez of Sidney, Neb., David (Tori) Gutierrez of Richfield, Minn., Eric (Alexa) Gutierrez of Longmont, Colo., and LaNaya (Derek) Hill of Haslet, Texas; and 11 great-grandchildren – William Sullivan, Logan Sullivan, LaNaya Gutierrez, Isabella Gutierrez, Alex Gutierrez and Noah Gutierrez, all of Sidney, Neb.; Yuliana Gutierrez and Mac Gutierrez of Richfield, Minn.; Delilah Gutierrez and Charlie Gutierrez of Longmont, Colo.; and Emersyn Hill of Haslet, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Henry Gutierrez Sr. of Sidney, Neb. and Eugene Wiglesworth of Hermiston; three brothers – John and his wife Paula of Hermiston, Percy and his wife Maria of Sidney, Neb., and Ralph and his wife LaDonna Johnson of Sidney, Neb.; two sisters – Mary and her husband John Virgil of Hermiston and Jose and her husband Glen Adolf of Sterling, Colo.
Cremation has taken place. Rosary services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026 with a mass of Christian burial following at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sidney, Neb.
Please share memories of Virginia with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
