Born in Martinsville, July 1, 1955, she was the daughter of the late Edgar Minter Washburn, Sr. and Nancy Hughes Tatum Washburn.
Delois graduated from Jefferson Forest High School in 1973 and earned her Bachelor’s degree from Lynchburg College in 1990. She worked for Centra Health for over 42 years in HR/Security Badging and other various positions. She loved cooking, photography, sewing, antique shopping\ collecting and most of all babysitting. She loved working at Tea to Thee where she could use her cooking skills and displaying and using her fine china teapots and teacups. She volunteered for Relay for Life, ran the concession stand for several years at FYAA in Forest. She was a volunteer with Jefferson Forest High School Marching Band and attended many band trips and functions and was a member of Keystone Baptist Church, where she was very active when she was able. She never turned down an opportunity to volunteer for anything that was asked of her.
She was a light in the world to everyone she met. Her kind, loving, unselfish spirit made her “Mom” to many children and their children. She was “Dois”, to Maria Washburn, “Dee” to David, Andrew, Jennifer, Sara and baby Anne Cox, “Dee-Dee” to Marcus Hill, “Lois” to Nathan Washburn, Jessica Wills, Gary, Toni and Bryan Harris, “Dee-Lowey” to Julie Irby, “Mama Dee” to Brent, Matthew, Andrew and Austin Morris, and “Grandma Dois” to Kayden, Kayson and Kaymin Harris. She called them her non-biological children. She loved them all dearly and they loved her. She touched lives wherever she went.
She is survived by her brother, Edgar M. “Eddie” Washburn, Jr.; her sister, Teresa G. Washburn (Johnny); her nieces and nephews, Nathan E. Washburn (Stefanie) and their children Kaily, Kaiden and Kainan, Jessica W. Wills (Devon) and their children Emery and DJ and Maria K. Washburn. She is also survived by Julie D. Irby whom she cherished as a daughter.
The family would like to thank Lillian Browley for the supreme care given and the home health nurse, PT and OT of Enhabit and Gentle Shepherd Hospice.
A service celebrating her life will be conducted at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel with Dr. J. Monty Fox officiating.
The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service and will host a reception immediately following the service.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to Keystone Baptist Church.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whittentimberlake.com for the Washburn family.
