Virginia Ginny Olive Thaxton Byrd

The World became a better place on January 18, 1922 when Virginia Olive Thaxton was born on a cold Winter Wednesday evening at 8:00 pm on Rich Fork of Kanawha Two Mile, Kanawha County, Charleston, West Virginia.

Virginia's parents were Alma Cherry Tate (11/27/1904 - 9/20/1968) and Samuel David Thaxton (11/11/1900 - 4/21/1960). They wed on Feb. 15, 1921 and began their family at a very early age.

Virginia's maternal grandparents were General Grant Tate (8/12/1865 - 1/28/1949) and Mary Rebecca Haynes Tate "Sweet" (10/29/1868 - 2/4/1930) with whom she spent the biggest part of her younger years helping out her grandparents.

Virginia "Ginny" married James Byrd on June 30, 1938 at a very young age of 16. She started her family immediately, with the care of a step-daughter (age 8) Vernie Cuniece (b)June 5, 1930 just 8 years younger than herself. It wasn't long afterward that she started her own birth family:

CHILDREN: Esther Ellen Byrd Warner (Oct. 4, 1939), Angeline Byrd O'Dell (Nov. 30, 1940), Alex Lakco James Byrd (Oct. 22, 1942), Charmco Chester Byrd (Aug. 26, 1944), Echo Virginia Byrd Gay (Jan. 30, 1946), Jocho Byrd (Feb. 26, 1947), Hattie Dolly Byrd Zimmerman (Apr. 5, 1950), Jimmy Everson Byrd (Jan. 20, 1953), Pearlie Dutches Byrd McWatters (Sept. 18, 1954), Alonzo Byrd (Aug. 13, 1955), Georgiana Byrd (Oct. 28, 1956), Roseberry Samuel Byrd (Feb. 12, 1958), Mary Sally Byrd Symms (Feb. 4, 1959), Andrew Byrd (Aug. 28, 1960), Correnia Byrd Chapin (Sept. 12, 1963), Henry Franklin Byrd (Dec. 8, 1965).

Virginia was the first born of her 8 siblings - Marjorie Alfreda Thaxton McClane (Aug. 3, 1923), Calvert "Buck" Thaxton (Dec. 24, 1924), Anita Mae Thaxton Wolfe (Sept. 25, 1925), Bernice "Sissy" Thaxton Stewart (May 25, 1930), Peggy Louise Thaxton (Aug. 15, 1934), Naomi Earnie Thaxton Myers (May 8, 1936), Carolyn Susan Thaxton Officer (Mar. 26, 1942), and Grant Bernard Thaxton (May 29, 1944).

Virginia had not received a high school education when she married and operated the family business "Byrd Moving Company". However, she was self educated and handled all functions associated with running a family business. She received her GED in 1975.

GRANDCHILDREN: Keith Ellen, Jeffrey & Eric Warner, Randy & Alex Byrd, Charmco Jr., Laurie, & Jenni Byrd, Larry Jr., Joey, Michael & James Gay, Shawnie & Jocho Jr. Byrd, Mona Marie & Sarah Byrd DeMartini, Jimmy Byrd, Davey & Danielle McWatters, Robert, Samantha & Joshua Byrd, Amber Dawn & Samantha Sword, Elijah Byrd, Jennifer Morris & Danny Byrd. She was blessed with six (6) step grandchildren: Amy, Sally, Debbie, Azalea, Wilma and Aaron Doughty.

Virginia’s husband “James Byrd” passed away on Nov. 9, 1973 at the age of 83 leaving Virginia at the young age of 51 with several teenagers and two young children Correnia (10) and Henry (8) to raise. In addition to Virginia’s home making and business skills she was a great care giver which was required by Daddy during his last few years.

After Dad’s passing Mom filled her time with volunteering, traveling, bowling, dancing and she was an excellent seamstress.

There were many misfortunes during her lifetime. In addition to her husband, she lost seven of her sixteen birth children:

Sammy was the first due to a construction job where a wall collapsed on him on July 11, 1987. The other six (6) were due to health and medical complications. Hattie was her next loss on Dec. 10, 2003, then there was Mary on May 23, 2004, next was Alonzo on Sept. 12, 2008, Joe was next on Jan. 10, 2009, Georgiana followed on Sept. 12, 2009 and Andy was the last one that passed during her lifetime on Sept. 26, 2012. Lots of sad memories in her life time.

Jimmy said it best, "She was a good Mother and did the best with what she had".

Virginia didn't let the tragedies and misfortunes keep her down she just became more involved and interested in a variety of work assignments and activities. She volunteered at Manna Meals and Kanawha Valley Senior Services. While swimming one day at the YWCA she was ask by the Program Director if she would like to have a job in their Day Care Center. This opened up a whole new world for her. She loved working with the children at the YWCA.

Nov. 4, 1979 the Charleston Gazette printed a full page story (by Connie Shearer) on her. It started “People who know Virginia Byrd say she is a remarkable woman”.

Virginia quit her day time job with the YWCA to help raise her beloved grandchildren Davey and Danielle McWatters. She continued with her volunteer participation. She added more entertainment to her active schedule which included square dancing with Bi-Squares, Unicorns and Starlites.

She loved volunteering at the Regatta Pasta Dinner for Verizon.

She also, worked at the Polls during Election time shown here with Gov. Joe Manchin. He was the Governor of WV from 2005 to 2010 and went on to be our U.S. Senator replacing Robert C. Byrd.

Ginny was adventuress and loved the outdoors. There wasn't much she wouldn't do. Here Ginny is riding a Railroad Motor Car when she was eighty eight (88) in 2010.

Ginny was very fortunate in her later years to have good health that allowed her to do the things she always wanted to do. She loved to travel and went on trips with the Telephone Pioneers, Jolly Travelers, etc. She flew to California and Hawaii, traveled out West (scenic route) and went on cruises in the Caribbean and Hawaii. When young she wanted to join the Wacs or Waves but her Dad said,"No".

Ginny so loved life and the socialization of people that she constantly ran "full steam ahead". Very rarely sick with as much as a cold. She did take care of herself, exercised regularly, and drove until her mid-eighties when her Macular Degeneration became so bad that she was concerned about her ability to make the right decision. Her vision impaired her ability to drive but it didn't stop her from her activities. There was no hesitation for her to quit driving. She was so independent that losing her ability to drive caused some concern but didn't slow her down. She had friends that would take her to her dances and when necessary she would schedule KRT to take her to Manna Meals so she could continue her volunteer work.

Ginny had lots of close friends with whom she traveled and the last few years of her life she attended the "Park Avenue Church of Christ" with her friend Dorothy Ramsey. They would meet others and go to lunch after church.

Ginny had lots of great friends that met her at the KVSS Lunch Program. Shown here are Ann Michael and Pauline Matson a couple of best friends.

The KVSS was her source of socialization during the last few years of her life. They have placed a Picture Memorial in her honor at the Tiskelwah Senior Center which is a great testimony to her volunteering and appreciation of her services to KVSS.

In lieu of flowers at her Memorial Service, family and friends made donations in her memory to KVSS totaling $970.00.

Mom's final resting place is right beside Daddy at Mountain View Memorial Park which is a sub-division of Spring Hill Cemetery overlooking the City of Charleston with a view of our beautiful State Capitol that can be seen as you gaze from the mountain top.

Mom picked out a beautiful headstone for Daddy with the look of an open Bible on Rose Granite and we did the same for her.

Those we love don't go away,

They walk beside us every day.

Unseen, unheard, but always near,

Still loved, still missed and so dear.

“Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself. She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well. She’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow; she is Christmas morning. Your mother lives inside your laughter. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you not time, not space…not even death.”

Remember me when flowers bloom

Early in the spring

Remember me on sunny days

In the fun that summer brings.

Remember me in the fall

As you walk through the

leaves of gold,

But most of all remember

Each day - right from the start

I will be forever near

For I live within your heart.

If I walk in the pathway of duty

If I work till the close of the day,

I shall see the great king in all his beauty,

When I've gone the last mile of the way.

When I've gone the last mile of the way,

I shall rest at the close of day

For I know there are joy awaiting

When I've gone the last mile of the way.