Aileen Virginia Owens French Bedsole, 93, passed away March 6, 2020. Known as “sis” to her siblings, she was born March 12, 1926 in Crutchfield, Kentucky and was the oldest of 14 children. Virginia, who graduated valedictorian of her high school class, went to work for Illinois Bell as an operator and retired as a test desk technician in 1984 after 33 years with BellSouth.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Ollie and Dixie Owens; infant sister, Willie Marie; and brothers Leonard, Lonnie and Bobby. Her oldest daughter Marita Sue Rhodes, longtime city clerk for Gulf Breeze, passed away in 2019.
She is survived by siblings Elsie Barnhill, Lucy Beckner, Berdia Young, Gaynell Green, Ann Yarbrough, Richard Owens, Brenda Riley, Larry Owens and Shelia Owens. Virginia is also survived by her son Wayne French (Sandy) and daughters Dee Dee French (Vince) and Virginia Hollingsworth. She was much loved by her grandchildren Jon Rhodes, Becky Wilson, William Hollingsworth, Katie Ross and Emily Hollingsworth, and was blessed with six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who fondly remember their Aunt Ginny.
Virginia was a long-time member of First Baptist Church Gulf Breeze and the Telephone Pioneers of America. The family would like to acknowledge the kindness and care shown to our mother by the nurses, aides, social worker and chaplain of Emerald Coast Hospice in Pensacola.
Visitation will be Friday, March 13, 2020 at Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel at 10 a.m. until the service begins at 11 a.m. with Pastor Bill Eddins officiating. Entombment will be at Bayview Memorial Park. A celebration of her life will follow at the home of Dee Dee French in Gulf Breeze.
