Virginia Sue Parham Blackwell

Virginia Sue Parham Blackwell passed away Friday, December 19, 2008, at a local Temple hospital. Virginia was born April 8, 1924, to Virgie and Thomas Parham in Panther's Chapel, then a small rural farming community between Mt. Pleasant, Texas and Pittsburg, Texas. She eventually moved with her family to nearby Chapel Hill, another small farming community southeast of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Virginia attended Mt. Pleasant High School in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Her funeral will be Tuesday, December 23, 2008, 1:00 p.m. at Scanio-Harper Funeral home, with Min. Scott Meyer officiating. She will be buried in Cookville, Texas, a small rural community southeast of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Virginia is survived by her son, Mike Blackwell, of Temple and his wife Carol Anne Blackwell, along with a grandson Jeffrey Blackwell of Temple, Texas, granddaughter Melanie Anne McAfee and her husband Robert McAfee, great granddaughters Erin Anne McAfee, Brenna Anne McAfee, and great grandson Nathan Robert McAfee of Richmond, Virginia. Virginia's work career outside the home spanned nearly fifty years working in the insurance industry, veterinary care and social service organizations. Virginia worked for Experience Works and Hill Country's Meals on Wheels until about age 80. Afterwards, she volunteered whenever she could. Virginia received the distinguished honor of being selected to represent the State of Texas in Experience Work's annual 2006 national calendar for the month of October, 2006, which is distributed nationally to thousands of Experience Works job sites throughout the United States. Virginia was a warm-hearted, people person, who enjoyed working with and helping others. She loved life tremendously. Some of her fondest memories in her later years were taking seniors on bus trips and tours to fun places like Branson, Tyler Rose Gardens, and other trips to interesting and beautiful places. Virginia truly liked to travel and see pretty places and things. She was a dedicated and faithful member of Western Hills Church of Christ in Temple. She assisted with and supported many church projects, including Church of Christ affiliated orphan homes in Texas. If you get to Heaven, you will see her again. She will probably tell you that of all the pretty places and things she has seen and visited, nothing compares with Heaven's beauty. And if there is a trip somewhere in Heaven with a group of seniors, you can be sure Virginia will be the tour guide! Family visitation will be Monday, December 22, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, Texas. Rather than flowers, the family requests donations and memorial gifts be made in Virginia's name to the any of the following: University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, College of Nursing, 900 College Street, UMHB Box 8425, Belton, Texas 76513, or the Ida Olliffe Foundation For Animal Care, City of Temple, P. O. Box 207, Temple, Texas 76503 or the Cherokee Home for Children, P.O. Box 295, Cherokee, Texas 76862-9989.