She always reminded me of flowers: bright, blossoming. You felt better after you were with Virginia. I never ever heard her say a mean thing about anybody. Those who knew her were always inspired.

-Lonnie Ostrom, former President, Arizona State University Foundation

There was nothing superficial about Virginia; she was sincere. You treasured your time with her. She had great energy, great compassion, and a great heart. She was also a sophisticated donor,never hurried in her giving,and a knowledgeable woman, asking a lot of questions, wanting to know how her gift would affect the organization, what the outcomes would be. Whether her gift was to Xavier, Brophy, Scottsdale Healthcare, Crisis Nursery, or Boys & Girls Club,the list just goes on forever,Virginia wanted to know how that gift would make the quality of life better for others.

She loved to invest in people's dreams, and you never wanted to let her down,because Virginia was a special lady. I treasure what she's done for us at this university. She was very important to the legacy of philanthropy at ASU, to the fine arts especially. I believe that philanthropy is learned, and I believe the motivation and the intention behind it are learned on an individual level. Virginia's philanthropy was always very pure and idealistic,and that was the magic of it.

Paul Galvin had been one of the great innovators and entrepreneurs of this nation, and through him, Virginia came to great social prominence.

-Russell Nelson, PhD, former President, Arizona State University

Soon after my wife, Bonita, and I arrived at Arizona State University in 1981, we met Virginia Piper. She was prominent in the community and well-known for her interest in advancing the arts in Arizona. At about the same time we also met Dayton and Laura Grafman. They had a long-standing relationship with Mrs. Piper and were instrumental in helping us get well acquainted with her.

ASU, originally the Territorial Normal School, was founded in 1885, and would celebrate its centennial in 1985. Although ASU had raised money for numerous individual projects over the years, it had never undertaken a school-wide fundraising campaign. ASU undertook its first university-wide capital campaign as part of the centennial celebration. Preparing for a major capital campaign required hiring people who were capable of serious big-dollar fundraising. Dayton Grafman knew how to raise money, and Lonnie Ostrom, who headed up the Centennial Capital Campaign, hired him to lead the fundraising program of the College of Fine Arts. Mrs. Piper was one of the individuals he encouraged to contribute to ASU during the Centennial Capital Campaign, and she responded with generous support for the Paul V. Galvin Playhouse.

Virginia Piper was a great lady. Paul Critchfield, who so reveres his aunt, says that it is the ability of the Piper Trust to say, "This is what Virginia would have wanted," that makes it such a large, significant trust in Arizona. It is a central part,living today like a beating heart,of where this Valley is going.

-Lattie Coor, former President, Arizona State University

Two characteristic features of the time I spent with Virginia stand out powerfully in my reflections: first, her interest in other human beings. There was a reserve, a propriety about her,rather more early twentieth century than late twentieth-century,not a coldness or a distance, not a barrier, but more like a proper sense of transaction. Her interest and her deep awareness of people are probably best reflected in her copious correspondence, especially with students. The second thing that struck me in our conversations was the depth of her conviction about cultural richness. She clearly became one of the giants of this community who put both their philanthropy and convictions forward. But it was one of the charming characteristics of Virginia that she wasn't trying to impress. She didn't give to show how influential she was; it was always done privately, as close to anonymously as possible. She was elegant, unprepossessing, yet radiated presence. Without being direct, she was always interested, as if trying to discern the full flavor of a person. Modest about her giving, she was always aware of the significance of her role as a philanthropist, her responsibility to give life to the legacy.