Virginia Parker Tunstall

TUSCALOOSA - Virginia Parker Tunstall, age 98, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., died July 8, 2017. Services will be 12:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa with Dr. Ken Dunivant officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Heritage Chapel Funeral Home & Cremations, a Dignity Memorial Provider, directing. Lunch will follow at the funeral home. Visitation will be Friday, July 14, 2017, from 6 to 7 p.m., at the funeral home and 11:30-12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15, 2017, at the church.

Virginia was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dr. Alfred Morgan Tunstall; her son, David Morgan Tunstall; her parents, Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Rhett Goode Parker and Theenie Alma Parker; her brothers, Timothy Mize Parker and Corbitt “Dick” Parker; and her sisters, Nora Farrington Morrison, Vera Mae Turnipseed, Beatrice Parker Dyer and Christine Dockery.

Virginia is survived by her son, Dr. Brian Parker Tunstall and his wife, Dr. Inia Tunstall and David Morgan Tunstall’s son, David Parker Tunstall.

Virginia was born on June 15, 1919, in Elrod, Ala. She attended grade schools in Elrod and Buhl, Ala. Later she attended college at the University of Alabama where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Education. In January of 1940, she married Alfred Morgan Tunstall.

Morgan Tunstall voluntarily entered the Army in 1941 and in the same year their first son, Brian, was born at Ft. Bragg, N.C. During the war, Morgan fought on several different fronts in North Africa and Italy.

Virginia stayed home with her parents in Tuscaloosa. After the war, Morgan was transferred to Eschwege, Germany as a Commander of the Military Government facility. Virginia and Brian came to live with him in Germany.

Virginia and Dr. Tunstall were avid travelers and during the period 1947 to 1950 visited numerous European countries including Italy, France, the UK, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. They returned to the United States in 1950 and Morgan entered the University of Alabama Dental School in Birmingham.

Virginia and Morgan’s second son, David, was born in 1953. Morgan graduated with a DMD degree in 1954 and immediately opened a general dentistry practice in Tuscaloosa. In 1962, he returned to the dental school for two years of training in orthodontics and then practiced orthodontics in Tuscaloosa until his retirement in 1987.

During the time she and Morgan were in Germany, Virginia taught in the United States Dependents Elementary School. After returning to the United States, she was a receptionist in Morgan’s dental office and did volunteer work at the voting polls.

She and Morgan were active members of the First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa and participated every Sunday in the Lee Sunday School Class. They had fond memories of trips with the “Merry Methodists”.

The family wishes to thank the Able Hands sitter service for the loving care provided to Virginia. Virginia received excellent care at the Forest Manor nursing home and the staffs at Forest Manor Nursing Home were professional and compassionate especially in Virginia’s final months.

Pallbearers will be Tim Parker, Charlie Haun, Steven Yevich, Warren Walter, Brian Tunstall and Chas Haun.

Honorary pallbearers are the Lee Sunday School class, First United Methodist Church, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the First United Methodist Church, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Condolences may be offered at www.heritagechapeltuscaloosa.com.