Virginia was born in West Columbia, Texas. The Bara family moved to Houston when she was still a tiny infant, and she graduated from Houston Reagan High School. Except for attending secretarial school in Galveston, Virginia was a lifelong resident of Houston, where she and her siblings worked at the Southern Pacific Railroad in the years and during and after WWII . Three of the four Bara siblings met their spouses through their jobs at the railroad, including Virginia, who was introduced to Gerald in the office because he was a friend of her boss.
She continued to enjoy close friendships with her siblings and their families, playing cards, traveling, golfing, and celebrating holidays together. Virginia also enjoyed the making of fond memories with her McDermott relatives over the years. They spent many summers all together in Galveston, fishing, crabbing, cooking big family meals, and playing cards and dominoes. She and her sister “Bea” stayed close and active over these last years, living near one another and going for weekly outings.
Virginia enjoyed games, puzzles, crosswords, and game shows, and she was always the person who knew the answers to the Trivial Pursuit entertainment category questions. She liked golf, both playing and watching it on television, and she was an Astros fan for the ages.
Her family will never forget her unassuming graciousness. Virginia was a perfect lady, yet without pretense. She was quiet, kind, and practical, and she managed her affairs with a remarkable attention to details up until the very last days of her life. She knew when having a sense of humor was important, and her occasional wisecrack will leave us with memories to smile over.
Virginia is survived by her daughter Janis McDermott Smith, her son and daughter-in-law Bradley and Janelle McDermott, her grandson Steven Smith and great-grandson Keatyn Smith and her granddaughter and husband Melanie Smith-Bell and David Bell, and great-granddaughters Bradleigh and Ryen Bell, and her beloved sister Beatrice Bara Garrett, as well as many wonderful nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Virginia is preceded in death by her husband Gerald McDermott, her son-in-law C. Daniel (Dan or Smitty) Smith, her brother Edward “Eddie" Bara and his wife Irene, and her brother Jack Bara and his wife Lorna, and her brother-in-law Perry Garrett.
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