Virginia Collier Woolsey

Virginia Collier Woolsey died on June 21, 2011 at age 91. She had suffered a crippling stroke in 1999. Virginia (a.k.a."Jinks") was born March 20, 1920, in Longtown, Mississippi. She was one of 10 children born to John Claude Collier and Virginia Crawford Collier. She attended grade school and high school in Germantown, Tennessee and graduated from Germantown High School in 1938. She was predeceased by her parents Virginia and John Claude; two brothers, Billy and John Claude, Jr. (JC), and three sisters: Doris, Margaret, and Eunice. She is survived by Milton Woolsey and her three daughters; Myrna, Virginia Lynn, and Joyce, her siblings Julia, Julian, Joe, and Betty Jean; her grandsons Lyn and Nathan and her granddaughter Jennifer Lynn, nieces and nephews Becky Ann, Lettie Ann, Rita, Sandra, Cathy, Janice, Elizabeth, David, Ricky, Mike, Alan, Jimmy, and Terry, as well as nieces and nephews on the Woolsey side of the family; Ron, Jim, Jon, Joel, Leticia, Margaret, Melody, Frank Elmo, Jr., Bonnie Lynn, Duane, Betty Ann, great grandchildren, and numerous great nieces and nephews. In 1938 Virginia and Milton were married and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where their first child, Myrna, was born in 1940. They returned to Olive Branch, Mississippi to live with Milton's parents, Lennie and Evaden, for a few years and then moved to Collegedale, Tennessee where Virginia Lynn and Joyce were born. All of their daughters had the privilege to graduate from Collegedale Academy. In 1967, Virginia and Milton moved to Memphis, Tennessee to be close to Milton's work and to their families. Virginia was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church most of her adult life. She studied her lessons every week and attended church every Saturday until her stroke. Virginia loved gardening. Many would slow down when driving by her house near Collegedale, Tennessee, to view her almost 1/2 acre of flower gardens. She loved babies; each was the cutest she had ever seen. She enjoyed working outdoors more than indoors. She wanted to be an airplane pilot. She enjoyed classical music and especially enjoyed listening to Luther Masingill on the radio. She sewed lovely dresses for her girls, and even their dolls. Saturday afternoons would be full of long walks or drives. She loved viewing the fall foliage. She worked hard all of her life; in the fields picking cotton as a child, as a mother, a wife, for her church, and a number of jobs outside the home. She most enjoyed being a hairstylist in her own business, "Virginia's Beauty Shop". Funeral arrangements are by Brantley Funeral Home of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Visitation is Thursday July 7, at Brantley Funeral Home from 5-8 pm for Friends. Her funeral will be July 8 at Bethel Presbyterian Church, beginning at 9:30 am, with 11 am Service. Pastor Chuck Woods of Olive Branch Seventh-day Adventist Church will be Officiating. Immediately afterward, a grave site ceremony at Bethel Presbyterian Cemetery, concluded with luncheon spread, graciously contributed by the ladies of Bethel Presbyterian Church (www.bethel-presbyterian.org/ ) and the ladies of Olive Branch Seventh-day Adventist Church (http://olivebranch22.adventistchurchconnect.org/). Flowers are appreciated, as are "love gifts" in honor of Virginia C. Woolsey to the Bethel Presbyterian Church and to the Olive Branch Seventh-day Adventist Church in appreciation of their community ministry.

Brantley Funeral Home

Olive Branch 662-895-2310

www.BrantleyFuneral.com