Her mother’s family moved from Tennessee to Arizona after statehood. But her father’s family were members of the Arizona Pioneers Association.
She grew up on the ranch, but was a city girl at heart. She graduated from Phoenix Union High School and went on to the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Virginia was working at Goldwater’s in Phoenix when Richard Foster Lanham, Jr., and his Air Corps buddies crashed their Christmas Party in 1944. She and Dick married in May and moved to Dallas after the war.
She grew up on fresh, home-grown food and maintained that lifestyle by grocery shopping every day. Her whole family benefitted by being remarkably healthy, with Dick living to 94 and Virginia to 98. As well as being a wonderful homemaker and cook, she never quit caring for her family.
Virginia was always very social. She loved luncheons, fashion shows, parties, clubs and especially bridge. She would play bridge every day if her friends were up to it.
She was pre-deceased by her husband, her parents James Harvey & Mary Cecile (Hammond) Wagoner, her siblings James Donald, Josephine Hazel and Mary Louise. She is survived by children Honey Dodge, Tina (Tim) Looney, and Tracy (Shari) Lanham; grandchildren Sabrina (Maier) Shadi, Holly (Mark) Briscoe, Foster Lanham, Josh (Whitney) Furrh, 9 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She will be remembered at an 11:00am graveside service at Sparkman/Hillcrest, followed by a reception, on Sunday, June 27th.
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