Virginia Lee Woodward Emmott

She was born to mother Mabel Virginia Murray and father Lycan Parks Woodward on November 8, 1924, in Iola, Texas. She loved her family’s history and Irish heritage. Her Woodward ancestors came to Texas in 1839 from South Carolina and settled in Grimes County. Virginia began elementary school in Iola, at the age of 5. The family moved to Jewett when she was about 10, attending school there until they later moved to Palestine, Texas, where she graduated high school at the age of 16 in 1941.

She was a freshman at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1941, at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack and the declaration of WWII. Since Texas State College for Woman (later TWU) offered a better Home Economics program, Jennie transferred and graduated with a Minor in Chemistry and a Major in Home Economics at mid-term in the winter of 1944. She later earned a Master of Education degree in 1948 from the University of Houston.

At 20, she started her first Home Economics teaching position at Cypress Fairbanks Senior High School from January of 1945 to May of 1946. While there, one of her students, Mabel Emmott, introduced Virginia to her brother Robert Emmott, who was home from the U.S. Navy at the end of the war.

Virginia and Robert were married in Palestine, Texas, on December 27, 1947. They built their first home at the Emmott family home place, where they lived all of their lives surrounded by a large, loving family. They joined the Fairbanks Baptist Church, where Virginia remained a member for 75 years.

After a year and a half at CyFair, Virginia moved to the Houston Independent School District in 1946, first at Lanier Jr. High as a Science and Home Economics teacher, then Burbank Junior High as a Science and Economics teacher, Sam Houston Senior High as a counselor, Waltrip High School as a counselor, and T. H. Rogers Junior High as the principal, where she retired in 1981.

Virginia returned to her profession at Houston Community College as a Director of the HCC program at Memorial City Hospital when they established a nursing program. She later was the administrator at the HCC Northwest Campus, after which she retired for a second time!

Virginia was very active in numerous professional education organizations. She was given the Golden Sister Award of Alpha Delta Kappa, her teachers’ sorority, after 50 years of service and membership. She was also a member and past president of Kappa Delta Pi, Omicron Chapter, the International Honor Society in Education.

She loved to play bridge and entertain at her home. She was also artistic and learned to paint. She liked to travel with her family and later, after her husband passed, she continued those adventures. She loved spending time enjoying her grandchildren.

Virginia was predeceased by her husband, Robert C. Emmott and her son Ronald P. Emmott. She is survived by her son Robert C. Emmott, Jr., and wife Toni; granddaughter Christine R. Emmott and husband Greg Novak; granddaughter Virginia L. Emmott; grandson Ronald P. Emmott, Jr., and Parker’s sister Gracie McAndrew; and great-granddaughter Elizabeth A. Novak.

The family would like to thank Leticia Reyes for her love and support of Virginia for many years. Also, thanks to Silverado Memory Care staff for their personal and attentive care of Virginia.

In lieu of floral tributes, memorial contributions may be made in Virginia’s name to Fairbanks Baptist Church, note: Building Fund. 6122 Fairbanks N. Houston, Houston, Texas, 77040.

A visitation with family will be held on Saturday July 29, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road, Houston, Texas, 77055. A funeral service will follow at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. in Zion Cemetery, 7951 CR 108, Iola, Texas, 77861. Virginia will be buried alongside her husband Robert in the family plot. Pallbearers include Ramon Morris, Sam Behrens, John Emmott, Walt Emmott, Greg Novak, and Michael Morris.

Zion United Methodist Activity Building, 23727 Trinity Avenue, Iola, Texas, will be open before and after the burial for attendees.