Virginia Claire Skipper Gaultney

Virginia served as a Baptist missionary in Nigeria from 1953 to 1978 with her husband Jerry Gaultney, PhD. Three of their children were born in Nigeria. She obtained her M.A. in History from Baylor University in 1957 and her PhD. in Education, Curriculum and Instruction from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria in 1979.

In Nigeria, Virginia taught World and African History at Agambi Memorial High School and organized and promoted leadership-training conferences, camps and various church-related ministries for women and girls. She also taught as a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University.

In Texas, she served as Elementary School Principal in Houston at Northwest Academy (now First Baptist Academy), where she also served as Bible Curriculum Coordinator. Virginia also taught as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University.

In one of her books, written with her husband Jerry, she wrote:

“Our feeling of deep loss when someone close to us dies is based not on the loss of the physical life, which sometimes included suffering, but rather on the loss of our relationship to the real person—the spiritual soul of our loved one. Our faith is based on the understanding that our loss is a temporary one; we will join our loved ones in heaven someday.”

Virginia was known throughout her life for her love of family, her wise and generous spirit, and her close walk with God. She dedicated her life to missions as a teen-ager before she met her husband, Jerry. On the mission field and when she returned to the U.S., she was an accomplished educator. Her family fondly recalls the loving and wise guidance she provided for so many of them. Virginia was known for her hospitality, and her friends and family knew her home was always open to them as a warm haven of peace and love in times of joy or sadness.

Virginia is survived by her husband of seventy-three years, Jerry Bradford Gaultney; son David Gaultney and wife Carol; son Ira Bruce Gaultney and wife Amanda; son Steven Skipper Gaultney and wife Marian; son-in-law Roy Vandiver and wife Cheryl; eleven grandchildren, Chad (Shelly) Vandiver, Michelle (Randy) Harding, Brad (Katie) Gaultney, Michael Gaultney, Steven Mark Gaultney, Dan (Amy) Gaultney, Blake (Ellie) Winterbotham, Ava Gaultney, Trenton Gaultney, Camden Gaultney, and Linden Gaultney and nine great-grandchildren, Benjamin Vandiver, Samuel Vandiver, Lucas Vandiver, Liliana Vandiver, David Bradford “Ford” Gaultney, III, Virginia “Vivi” Gaultney, Samuel Gaultney, Margaret “Daisy” Gaultney, and Isaac Gaultney.

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, Ruby and Oscar Skipper; brothers, Olen Skipper and John Skipper; sister, Nuna Hovnatanian; brother-in-law, Robert “Bob” Eugene Gaultney; daughters, Nancy Elizabeth Gaultney and Connie Lee Gaultney Vandiver; daughter-in-law, Jean “Jeannie” Ellen Parmenter Gaultney and great-granddaughter, Clara Jean Gaultney.

The family wishes to sincerely thank all the wonderful and caring people at The Campbell Center at Buckner Villas, who provided loving care for Virginia in her final years. A small, private funeral service for immediate family will be held on Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. The service will be live streamed through www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com. Friends and family are welcome to view the service online at the Cook Walden Capital Parks website. In lieu of flowers, please do as Virginia would do; honor God by helping someone in need.

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE LIVE STREAM SERVICE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 2:00PM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021. SEE LINK BELOW.