Virginia Adams Thomas age 84 of Marianna passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Virginia was born on October 15, 1934 in Nederland, TX. Coming of age in the1950’s she was truly a product of that time with pony tails, bobby socks, saddle oxfords, and a poodle skirt. She loved singing, music and was a high school majorette. Graduating in 1953 from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, TX, she was a member of the Grand Assembly of Texas Order of the Rainbow for Girls 1953 and initiated into the Order of the Eastern Star the same year.
She graduated in 1956 from Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Houston, TX where she met her Charlie, a young Air Force Lieutenant stationed nearby at Ellington Air Force base. Newly married in 1956 to Lt. Leland “Charlie” Thomas, she began a career in nursing and supporting her husband’s 30-year Air Force career traveling the world with kids, cats, and dogs. As a military wife she was on the front lines of the Cold War dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis, Charlie’s tours in Vietnam, countless deployments, and 15 moves to different duty stations before retiring to Marianna in 1984.
She loved her children and their friends, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved traveling the world, loved her friends, and she loved gardening.
She and Charlie are members of the First United Methodist Church in Marianna where she taught Sunday School.
She was preceded in death by her parents William B. and Virginia L. Adams, her three brothers William B. Adams Jr., Milton “Sammy” Adams, and Michael Adams, and her husband Col. Leland C. Thomas.
Virginia is survived by her children Clifton C. Thomas and his wife Susan of Marianna, FL, William E. Thomas from Dover-Foxcroft, ME, and Virginia T. Beard and her husband Kent of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, grandchildren Ashley T. Hext and her husband Pete of Snyder, TX, Jamie B. Baker and her husband Daniel of Jacksonville, FL, Leland A. Thomas and his wife Shelby of Marianna, FL, John W. Beard of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. She is also survived by her great grandchildren Jack D. Baker, Jayla N. Baker, Tyler N. Hext, Neely H. Hext and Leland C. Thomas.
“When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth. -Mitch Albom
Services for Virginia will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, September 27, 2019 in the First United Methodist Church of Marianna with Nathan Attwood officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, September 26, 2019 in the Marianna Chapel Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Hospice and Palliative Care at 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32257.
Marianna Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Expressions of sympathy may be submitted online at www.mariannachapelfh.com.
