Virginia Wilson

Virginia Wilson, long-time resident of Richmond, Kentucky, died peacefully from the effects of old age on March 31, 2015 at Telford Terrace Nursing Home. She was 96. She was known as "Aunt Pop" to her nieces and nephews and as "Granny Gin" to the eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren who so delighted her. Virginia was born along with her twin sister Eleanor in 1918 in Waco, Kentucky to the late Leroy Hisle McKinney and Sue Thomas Cobb McKinney. In 1941 she went to work at Oneida Baptist Institute where she met a young teacher named Stanley Wilson. She fondly recalled how they fell in love and began planning their life together during that school year. They married in 1942 and moved to Maryland where Stanley served in the army and later the Signal Corps. The couple began their family in Baltimore having two children there and having two more children after moving to Richmond in 1951. With remarkable skill, grace and cheerfulness, Virginia made a home for her husband and children. She worked hard but was always ready to laugh or sing. She made candy, pies and cakes from scratch, designed and stitched dresses for her girls, arranged music lessons for all four children, and got everyone deeply involved with the First Baptist Church. She was a woman of deep and abiding faith, and was a scrupulous tither and member of First Baptist Church in Richmond for over 65 years. Her focus on faith and family defined her life. Virginia's children and grandchildren talk about her emphasis on church, education and musical training and the impact it had on their lives. They all graduated from college and four earned doctoral degrees. Virginia faced many challenges in her life. She remembered the depression years, saying of her young life in the 1930's, "we weren't poor, we just didn't have any money." She knew the importance of resourcefulness and a willingness to work hard. When Stanley suffered a heart attack in 1964, she took-over the more-than-full-time job of running the family business, the Varsity Grill, while still taking care of her family. Later, she worked many years at Faye's Fabrics where she was recognized for her knowledge and artistry with fabrics, quilting, dress making, and knitting. She retired at 70 in 1988. In retirement, Virginia was content and enjoyed her home life and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She liked to root for the Wildcats and socialize with friends and church groups. She was always up for a game of Rook and played into her 90's. She ventured out on trips mainly for family weddings and get-togethers making many trips in her 70's and 80's to California, France, Illinois, Michigan, South Carolina and Tennessee. She was so known for her good humor and energy that her grandchildren, riding back to their Chicago hotel and tired from the night's wedding festivities, were only slightly surprised to see their 85 year-old Granny Gin dancing to the music of a street musician on the subway platform at midnight. Virginia will be remembered for many things but perhaps most of all for her kind eyes and sweet smile that seemed to reflect the inner peace she enjoyed from living a good life and having an unshakeable faith in things unseen. She is survived by her four children: Martha Sue Bonner (Bill) of Cookeville, Tennessee; Gail Wilson Wells (Charles) of Ft. Thomas, Kentucky; Lana Wilson Carnes of Richmond, Kentucky; and Donald Andrew Wilson (Lori) of Santa Clara, California. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Andrew William Bonner (Julie) and their children, Jackson William, Benjamin Edward, and Elizabeth (Ella) Grace of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; John Wilson Carnes (Kathleen) and their children, Tyler Wilson, Abigail Grace, and Andrew Laurence, of Edgewood, Kentucky; Shannon Wells-Lassagne (Marc) and their son, Tom Charles, of Paris, France; Kent Wilson Bonner (Jenny) and their daughter, Abby Sue, of Trinidad; Jason Charles Wells and his sons, Julian Grant Jason and Samuel Charles Jason, of Eureka, California; Dr. Stanley Hobart Carnes (Heidi) and their children, Madison Elizabeth, Will Gander, Jackson Henry, and Johnson Scott, of Stanford, Kentucky; Juliet Beth Wilson of Santa Clara, California; and Grant McKinney Wilson (Kelly) of Santa Clara, California. She is also survived by one sister, Zelia McKinney Anderson of Waco, Kentucky, a sister-in-law, Harriette McKinney of Waco, Kentucky, and by nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents and husband, Virginia was preceded in death by her twin sister Eleanor McKinney Eades and her husband Albert Eades; a brother, James Richard McKinney; and a brother-in-law, Mitchell Anderson. Virginia's nephews will serve as pallbearers: Marcus Eades, David Eades, Billy Anderson, Meredith (Butch) Tipton, Ricky McKinney, and Ben Lykins. Reverend Bill Fort will officiate at the funeral services to be held at 1:00 p.m. (E.S.T.) on Wednesday, April 8, at First Baptist Church in Richmond with burial to follow at the Richmond City Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. E.S.T.) until the time of services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Richmond First Baptist Church, 425 Eastern By-Pass, Richmond KY 40475 Combs, Parson, and Collins Funeral Home in Richmond is in charge of arrangements, (859) 623-0822.