The funeral services for the late Mrs. Virginia Smith of 1107-B N. Henderson Street, Sylvester, Georgia, who fell asleep in death on Friday, April 9, 2021 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia, will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. from the Shepard Memorial Garden Cemetery in Sylvester, Georgia. This is a private service to be attended by the family only. Services may be viewed Facebook Live from the "Shipp's Funeral Home" Facebook page. A Memorial Service will be held via Zoom conferencing on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Please contact the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sylvester, Georgia for Zoom information and details.
HER BEGINNING
Virginia Rose (Gass) Smith was born July 5, 1944, in Sylvester, Georgia, to the late Mr. and Mrs. Howard Gass, Sr and Hattie Proctor Gass. She was the baby of eleven children born from this union (Her siblings Katie Mae, Howard, Jr., Thomas, Ethel, Amos, Cathy, Fleta, Hattie Pearl, Priscilla, and Raymond all preceded her in death.)
Virginia received her early education in the Worth County School System and graduated from J. W. Holley High in 1962. After graduating from high school, Virginia married Samuel J. Smith. From the union, five children were born whom she loved dearly. During their marriage, Virginia and Samuel, or "Fat" as many knew him, lived in many different places. Early on they lived in West Palm Beach, Florida, but after Samuel was drafted into the military, they would live in Fort Dix, New Jersey and Colorado Springs, Colorado. it was in Colorado that Virginia started studying and attending meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses.
SERVICE TO JEHOVAH
On April 15, 1972, Virginia symbolized her dedication to Jehovah by water baptism. Some of the highlights of Virginia's almost 50 years of service were seeing her children and grandchildren dedicating their lives to Jehovah and also seeing them give parts at the meetings and on assembly programs. Virginia also enjoyed her ministry. All in her neighborhood loved her and expected to talk about the Bible at some point in any conversation. Because of her love for Jehovah and the ministry, Virginia decided to increase her service. Virginia regular auxiliary pioneered before becoming a regular pioneer on December 1, 2006, and she continued this faithful service until April 9, 2021 when she fell asleep in death.
IN LOVING MEMORY
Virginia was truly a beautiful person, physically and spiritually. She will be missed by countless friends and relatives. Those who knew her best know that missing her is only temporary. Her hope was in the resurrection to life in paradise. Her children who long to see her there are: Tanye Valentine (Mark), Samuel Smith, Jr. (Cynthia), Cynthia Ragsdale (Jonathan), Kelvin Smith, and Jennifer Collier (Karriem). Virginia also leaves to mourn her passing sixteen grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren, family members Shawlene Milton, Cassandra Lockett, nine sisters-in-law, five brothers-in-law, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins who she loved dearly. This includes a special nephew, Caesar Gass, who was raised alongside her like a brother.
Virginia was a second mom to all her nieces and nephews, always there for them to comfort them and tell them about the Bible. Her last words to all of us were "You all stick together, Love each other, Be close to one another".
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