Virginia Howard
May 31, 1934 ~ June 23, 2015 (age 81) 81 Years Old
Virginia Howard Obituary
Virginia Howard, 81, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at Cotton Grove Estates under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.
A long time resident of Ludowici and resident of Jesup for the past forty-five years, Virginia was born on May 31, 1934 in Wrens, Georgia to the late Augustus T. and Ruth C. Wade. As one of the first women employed by Rayonier Advanced Materials, she paved the way for many to follow. Virginia took great pride in her work and had trained many new employees at the Fernandina Campus on the practices that she had helped to perfect using thirty-three years of experience. After retirement, Virginia devoted herself to literacy projects. She was active with the Wayne County Literacy Alliance, taught classes at the Federal Correctional Institution of Jesup and had been the Director of Adult Literacy at Coastal Pines Technical College. Virginia was active in numerous civic organizations including the Eastern Star, where she was past Worthy Matron, the Kiwanis Club of Jesup and the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jesup where she attended the Dorcas Sunday School Class and in her spare time she enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading and sewing. She also enjoyed golf and bowling in her younger years and truly loved traveling. Family and friends will remember Virginia as a master joke teller and for always being "on the go" as she never slowed down. She was an excellent cook who spent countless hours cooking for her family and friends. Virginia’s family was the top priority in her life and in her later years she enjoyed bragging on her grand and great grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, her brother, Crawford Wade and four sisters, Mildred McKay, Margaret Thompson, Merrian "Ann" Thompson and Linda Flournoy preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband of sixty-four years, Harris Howard of Jesup; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lynne and George Stafford of Athens, GA and Carmen and Carey Jones of Jesup; one sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ruth and Gerald Leigh of Atlanta, Georgia; five grandchildren, Leslie Gordon and husband, Rob of Athens, Josh Stafford and wife, Elise of Hinesville, Ginny Jeffery and husband, Todd of Los Angeles, California and Anna and Carlie Jones of Jesup and six great grandchildren, Kalynne and Gracie Stafford, Lily and Will Gordon, Jep Poppell and Lucy Kate Jones. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members also survive.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2015 at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at the First Baptist Church of Jesup with Doctor Michael VonMoss officiating.
Active pallbearers will be Josh Stafford, Rob Gordon, Jacob Poppell, Tracy Flournoy, Bobby Thompson and Al McKay. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Dorcas Sunday School Class and her devoted caregivers, Tina Hires, Debbie Green and Zet Gray.
Interment services will be private in Baggs Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made to Hospice of South Georgia Inc., 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
A long time resident of Ludowici and resident of Jesup for the past forty-five years, Virginia was born on May 31, 1934 in Wrens, Georgia to the late Augustus T. and Ruth C. Wade. As one of the first women employed by Rayonier Advanced Materials, she paved the way for many to follow. Virginia took great pride in her work and had trained many new employees at the Fernandina Campus on the practices that she had helped to perfect using thirty-three years of experience. After retirement, Virginia devoted herself to literacy projects. She was active with the Wayne County Literacy Alliance, taught classes at the Federal Correctional Institution of Jesup and had been the Director of Adult Literacy at Coastal Pines Technical College. Virginia was active in numerous civic organizations including the Eastern Star, where she was past Worthy Matron, the Kiwanis Club of Jesup and the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jesup where she attended the Dorcas Sunday School Class and in her spare time she enjoyed crossword puzzles, reading and sewing. She also enjoyed golf and bowling in her younger years and truly loved traveling. Family and friends will remember Virginia as a master joke teller and for always being "on the go" as she never slowed down. She was an excellent cook who spent countless hours cooking for her family and friends. Virginia’s family was the top priority in her life and in her later years she enjoyed bragging on her grand and great grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, her brother, Crawford Wade and four sisters, Mildred McKay, Margaret Thompson, Merrian "Ann" Thompson and Linda Flournoy preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband of sixty-four years, Harris Howard of Jesup; two daughters and sons-in-law, Lynne and George Stafford of Athens, GA and Carmen and Carey Jones of Jesup; one sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ruth and Gerald Leigh of Atlanta, Georgia; five grandchildren, Leslie Gordon and husband, Rob of Athens, Josh Stafford and wife, Elise of Hinesville, Ginny Jeffery and husband, Todd of Los Angeles, California and Anna and Carlie Jones of Jesup and six great grandchildren, Kalynne and Gracie Stafford, Lily and Will Gordon, Jep Poppell and Lucy Kate Jones. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members also survive.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2015 at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at the First Baptist Church of Jesup with Doctor Michael VonMoss officiating.
Active pallbearers will be Josh Stafford, Rob Gordon, Jacob Poppell, Tracy Flournoy, Bobby Thompson and Al McKay. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Dorcas Sunday School Class and her devoted caregivers, Tina Hires, Debbie Green and Zet Gray.
Interment services will be private in Baggs Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made to Hospice of South Georgia Inc., 1625 Sunset Blvd., Jesup, GA 31545.
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