Virginia Eve Check, 95, of Las Cruces, New Mexico passed away peacefully on September 1, 2025, at Northrise Assisted Living Center.

Virginia Knippel was born October 7,1929 in Wausau, Wisconsin to Peter and Theodora (Cherek) Knippel. On August 11, 1952, she married Daniel Alois Check, and they celebrated 64  years of marriage together. Virginia loved to sing, play the piano, and accordion.  She always advocated for health and nutrition, frequently participating in exercise classes, walking, and staying physically active. She was a faithful Catholic, participating as a church member, communion minister, choir member, and played the organ for many years at Our Lady of Purification and San Isidro parishes. Throughout the years she volunteered for a variety of committees, taught catechism classes, was a leader of the marriage preparation and enrichment courses, as well as assisted her deacon husband in many different ministries and churches throughout the Diocese of Las Cruces.  Virginia was a registered nurse, using those skills to serve her family, TIGRE – services for seniors, Las Cruces Red Cross, the NMSU Student Health Center, and St. Luke's Clinic. Virginia, "Beka," was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt.  Family was the root of who she was and how she engaged with others, showering kindness and a sense of caring and belonging to everyone she encountered.  You could find her cheering at a wrestling or track meet, attending a fashion show, piano, band, choir or other musical recital, or assisting with a variety of 4-H events, teaching swimming lessons, volunteering at schools, attending a stock car race, chauffeuring or riding scooters with grandchildren, or bringing a treat out to a worksite – whatever she could do to show support and love for her family. Faith, family, education, music, work ethic, and kindness are characteristics that were very important to Virginia, and gifts that she shared with everyone she met and cared for on a daily basis.

Virginia is survived by her six sons, two daughters, and eight grandchildren – Daniel J Check (Nancy) and grandsons Mathew (Heather) and Nicholas Check; Steven (Kay) Check; Allan Check; Thomas (Joan) and grandsons Bryson (Jessica), Joseph, and Francis Check; Michael (Yolanda) Check; Patrick (Frances) Check; Judy Stirman (Logan) grandchildren James and Lauren Stirman; Marci Holguin (Rafael) and granddaughter Madaline Holguin. Her siblings – MaryAnn Cybula (William) nieces and nephews Renee, Greg, Tim, Michelle, Paul, and Jason Cybula; Randall Knippel nephew and Denise Knippel niece; brother Peter Knippel (Tom); and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Daniel A. Check and granddaughter Aubrey Holguin. Her parents, Peter and Theodora Knippel and brother Eugene Knippel.

Thank you to all of the family members, friends, and staff at Northrise for their kindness and support.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025, starting at 9:30am at Our Lady of Purification Church – 5525 Cristo Rey St., Dona Ana, NM. A prayer vigil will begin at 10:20am followed by a funeral mass. Virginia will be laid to rest at the Dona Ana Cemetery

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Our Lady of Purification Church, the Holy Cross Retreat House, or the Las Cruces Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapel and Sunset Crematory, 300 E. Boutz Road, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com