Virginia S. Tidwell

TIDWELL, VIRGINIA SNOW passed away on Sept. 6, 2011, after a most wonderful life of 90 years. A friend to every person and dog she ever met, Virginia was commended by President George H.W. Bush for her half-century of federal service. Born and raised in Brookwood, she brought joy to others at an early age, playing boogie woogie piano on a Tuscaloosa radio station as a teen. She graduated from Brookwood High School in 1938 and attended Alabama Women's College in Montevallo and the University of Alabama. Virginia moved to Washington, D.C., during World War II and worked at the Pentagon as secretary to Hap Arnold, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces. While there, she took dictation from Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle after his famed raid on Japan. She later lived in Chicago before the cold winters and the lure of the South called her home. Virginia raised her family in Ensley and became a fixture at the courthouse in Birmingham as secretary to U.S. District Judge Clarence Allgood. Known for her hearty laugh and the click-clack of her high heels, she was admired and respected by all in the legal community. A true fan of the Crimson Tide, she loved anything Alabama. She hosted high school reunions well into her 80s, and delighted in watching the hummingbirds that hovered at a feeder outside her home in Vestavia. A giving spirit, she lived her life to serve others. Virginia is preceded in death by her husband, Wilson Thurman Tidwell Sr., and her brother, Victor Donald Snow. She is survived by her son, Wilson, her daughter, Ginger, her sister, Dorothy Snow Jaffe, and her grandsons, Zac and Matt. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Sept. 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Ridout's Elmwood Chapel, 800 Dennison Ave., SW, Birmingham. Visitation will begin at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the Tidwell family requests donations be made to The Humane Society and Tuscaloosa tornado relief efforts.