Virgilio Pinlac Gonzales, 80, passed away peacefully at home in Fort Mill, SC, on September 3, 2026, surrounded by his beloved wife and three daughters.

Born in the Philippines, on January 1, 1946, to Vicente and Perserveranda Gonzales, Virgil (“Gil”) grew up in Bonuan, a coastal area in Dagupan in the province of Pangasinan. He attended school in Bonuan and graduated from Luzon College with a degree in finance.

He married Perla Cruz on June 28, 1972, and then immigrated to the United States the following year, settling first in Youngstown, Ohio, before moving to Stow where he and his wife resided for over 40 years and raised their three daughters. Virgil was hired as an accountant at Terex in 1973, and continued to work for the General Motors Company for 37 years. He then spent his “retirement” working for VanDevere Automotive until 2020, when he and his wife moved to Fort Mill to be closer to their grandchildren.

Virgil was most proud of his volunteer work, feeding the less fortunate through the hunger programs at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Akron, which he did for almost two decades. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, mowing the lawn, watching James Bond and other action films, and spending time with his beloved grandchildren. He will be forever remembered for his kindness and generosity, his devotion to church, his love of music and dancing, and his knack for striking up conversations with people wherever he went.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Perla; daughter Regina of Cornelius, NC (Eric); daughter Rachele of Brooklyn, NY (Patrick); daughter Robyn of Charlotte, NC (Kevin); granddaughter Harper; grandsons Leonardo, Zane, Oscar, Dylan, and Nathan; siblings Rudy, Lolita, Felicidad, and Tony; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial mass and celebration of life will be held on Saturday, October 10 at 1:00PM at St. Philip Neri in Fort Mill, SC.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Virgil’s honor to one of the following organizations: Minds Matter (Magnolia Memory Care) of Fort Mill, Alzheimer’s Association, St. Bernard Parish Hunger Program (Akron, OH), and St. Phillip Neri Catholic Church (Fort Mill, SC).