Live Stream of Memorial Service

Greenfield Center, NY – Danay DiVirgilio passed peacefully in her sleep at home early Monday, July 6, 2020. Danay amazed her family and friends with the love, courage and commitment to health and healing she demonstrated during her almost 15 year journey with the dis-ease called cancer, including her desire in her final days to prepare those she knew and loved for the transition she intuitively knew was coming soon.

Throughout, and even as a result of Danay's journey, she brought a deep and profound sense of love to everything she touched. Danay was a beautiful human being with a spirit that touched everyone she met. She believed being present was the highest way to live and that once there, all that remained was love. Naturally, her daily life, lived with intention and purpose, was guided by the ideal of being loving and in love.

Born Danay Alese Hampleman on November 9, 1972 in Merced, California to Nancy Ruth Copeland (nee Neill, nee Hampleman) and David Alan Hampleman, she relocated with her family to Lebanon, IL and shortly thereafter to South County, St. Louis, Missouri where she grew up.

A graduate of Lindbergh High School, Danay went on to study Fashion Merchandising at William Woods University, graduating in 1994.  While in her final year of school, she lost her mom to breast cancer, which shaped Danay's commitment to motherhood and also to her own health.

She later relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and then to Hermosa Beach, California, in pursuit of a career as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines.  While in Hermosa Beach she met the love of her life, Michael DiVirgilio, during the Advanced Course at Landmark Education.  Three months later, as they celebrated New Year's Eve 2000 in New York City, they became engaged and married on September 1, 2000 overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Palos Verdes, California. Danay loved the beach and the ocean and this was a dream come true.

They went on to live in Hermosa Beach for another seventeen years. During which time, Danay graduated with a Masters in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and began her PhD in Transpersonal Psychology from the California Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She went on to work with children who had special needs, became a mentor, and was a certified grief recovery specialist.

Merging her love for children with her passion for yoga and meditation, she founded YogaBuddies in 2006 to teach children the benefits of yoga. YogaBuddies was one of the first yoga for kids companies in the world and went on to teach yoga to more than 10,000 children and train more than 100 kids' yoga teachers.

In August 2012, Danay became a mother to her beautiful girl Ananda DiVirgilio. Assisted by her yoga and meditation practices, Danay fulfilled a dream when she gave birth to Ananda at home. The birth and parenting of Ananda was Danay's most proud and rewarding experience and she loved her daughter most deeply. Michael and Ananda are deeply aware of the immense gift it was to know, love and live with Danay.

Danay is survived by her husband Michael and their daughter, Ananda. She is also survived by her Dad, step-father Charles Copeland and his wife Susan Copeland, her father David Hampleman, her siblings Cynthia Minton (nee Copeland), Joy Purver (nee Hampleman, nee Copeland) and Nathan Copeland and their families. She is survived by her uncle and aunt Scott and Julie Neill and their family.  She's also survived by Michael's grandmother, parents, siblings and their families, as well as countless friends who will forever treasure her memory and will carry forward everything they learned from Danay's beautiful spirit and loving example.

Danay stood for love for everyone at all times. To honor Danay's memory and spirit, please consider opening your heart to love more today.

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 from 4-6:30pm at William J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY. 518-584-5373.

Danay's wishes were that she be remembered, in lieu of gifts or flowers, with a thoughtful donation to Ananda's lovely school; Waldorf School Saratoga Springs , 122 Regent Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

**Following NYS guidelines, attendance will be limited to 30 people in the funeral home at a time.**