Virginia Giles Moran passed away peacefully in Alexandria, VA on April 1, 2020 at the age of 99.
She was the daughter of John Lewis and Mary Elizabeth Giles, born August 24, 1920 near Chatham VA. One of eight children growing up on a tobacco farm in rural southern Virginia, she attended a one-room schoolhouse to begin her education and her lifelong love of reading.
After graduating from Chatham High School she was determined to attend college but money was scarce. In the fall of 1940 Virginia was finally able to go to James Madison University with the savings from her job at Dan River Mills. She divided her time between study and working part time jobs at the University library and in the dining hall, where she got a reputation for sneaking out muffins to hungry classmates. She majored in Home Economics, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1944.
Virginia began her career working as a teacher but she soon realized teaching was not for her so she headed to Washington DC. She and her sister Mary roomed with other young women flocking to Washington after WW II. She worked as a nutritionist in a large cafeteria, planning the meals and supervising staff. Finally, she found her true passion working at Harris Labs testing products for market. She joined the All States Sunday School Class at Mt Vernon United Methodist Church where she connected with many other young people moving to Washington from states around the country. There she met and married a young Army veteran from West Virginia, Jearld V Moran in 1949.
Virginia and Jearld moved to the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, VA in 1951. Many of their city friends questioned the young couple's move so far out of town in the "country" but they loved their home on Woodland Lane and hosted an annual July 4th picnic each year for their Sunday school class. They remained active members of their Mt Vernon Place UMC church community all their lives. In 1952, their daughter Emily Page was born and Virginia stayed home to raise her. Son Richard Keith was born in 1955 to complete the family.
Virginia was an accomplished seamstress and craftswoman. She made all her own clothes using designer fabrics and her own tailored touches. She was passionate about gardening, delighting each spring as the azaleas bloomed into "fairy land" along the stream in her yard. Virginia was an active member of the Mount Vernon garden club and the Woodland Park Ladies Club for many years. Virginia was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, famously taking a heating pad to warm her sleeping bag, alas there was no electricity at the camp site. She amazed us all by working the crossword puzzles in the Washington Post in ink.
Virginia fought hard for civic causes, often pushing to keep her community suburban and to protect the environment. A lifelong learner and reader, she worked as a Library Aide for 10 years at the Sherwood Hall Branch of the Fairfax County Public Library System which she loved.
Virginia will be missed by her family, friends, and neighbors for her positive outlook on life, her good humor, and her devotion to her faith. We plan a memorial service sometime in the summer.
www.mountcastle.net/obituary/virginia-g-moran/
She was the daughter of John Lewis and Mary Elizabeth Giles, born August 24, 1920 near Chatham VA. One of eight children growing up on a tobacco farm in rural southern Virginia, she attended a one-room schoolhouse to begin her education and her lifelong love of reading.
After graduating from Chatham High School she was determined to attend college but money was scarce. In the fall of 1940 Virginia was finally able to go to James Madison University with the savings from her job at Dan River Mills. She divided her time between study and working part time jobs at the University library and in the dining hall, where she got a reputation for sneaking out muffins to hungry classmates. She majored in Home Economics, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1944.
Virginia began her career working as a teacher but she soon realized teaching was not for her so she headed to Washington DC. She and her sister Mary roomed with other young women flocking to Washington after WW II. She worked as a nutritionist in a large cafeteria, planning the meals and supervising staff. Finally, she found her true passion working at Harris Labs testing products for market. She joined the All States Sunday School Class at Mt Vernon United Methodist Church where she connected with many other young people moving to Washington from states around the country. There she met and married a young Army veteran from West Virginia, Jearld V Moran in 1949.
Virginia and Jearld moved to the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, VA in 1951. Many of their city friends questioned the young couple's move so far out of town in the "country" but they loved their home on Woodland Lane and hosted an annual July 4th picnic each year for their Sunday school class. They remained active members of their Mt Vernon Place UMC church community all their lives. In 1952, their daughter Emily Page was born and Virginia stayed home to raise her. Son Richard Keith was born in 1955 to complete the family.
Virginia was an accomplished seamstress and craftswoman. She made all her own clothes using designer fabrics and her own tailored touches. She was passionate about gardening, delighting each spring as the azaleas bloomed into "fairy land" along the stream in her yard. Virginia was an active member of the Mount Vernon garden club and the Woodland Park Ladies Club for many years. Virginia was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, famously taking a heating pad to warm her sleeping bag, alas there was no electricity at the camp site. She amazed us all by working the crossword puzzles in the Washington Post in ink.
Virginia fought hard for civic causes, often pushing to keep her community suburban and to protect the environment. A lifelong learner and reader, she worked as a Library Aide for 10 years at the Sherwood Hall Branch of the Fairfax County Public Library System which she loved.
Virginia will be missed by her family, friends, and neighbors for her positive outlook on life, her good humor, and her devotion to her faith. We plan a memorial service sometime in the summer.
www.mountcastle.net/obituary/virginia-g-moran/
Virginia Giles Moran passed away peacefully in Alexandria, VA on April 1, 2020 at the age of 99.
She was the daughter of John Lewis and Mary Elizabeth Giles, born August 24, 1920 near Chatham VA. One of eight children growing up on a tobacco farm in rural southern Virginia, she attended a one-room schoolhouse to begin her education and her lifelong love of reading.
After graduating from Chatham High School she was determined to attend college but money was scarce. In the fall of 1940 Virginia was finally able to go to James Madison University with the savings from her job at Dan River Mills. She divided her time between study and working part time jobs at the University library and in the dining hall, where she got a reputation for sneaking out muffins to hungry classmates. She majored in Home Economics, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1944.
Virginia began her career working as a teacher but she soon realized teaching was not for her so she headed to Washington DC. She and her sister Mary roomed with other young women flocking to Washington after WW II. She worked as a nutritionist in a large cafeteria, planning the meals and supervising staff. Finally, she found her true passion working at Harris Labs testing products for market. She joined the All States Sunday School Class at Mt Vernon United Methodist Church where she connected with many other young people moving to Washington from states around the country. There she met and married a young Army veteran from West Virginia, Jearld V Moran in 1949.
Virginia and Jearld moved to the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, VA in 1951. Many of their city friends questioned the young couple's move so far out of town in the "country" but they loved their home on Woodland Lane and hosted an annual July 4th picnic each year for their Sunday school class. They remained active members of their Mt Vernon Place UMC church community all their lives. In 1952, their daughter Emily Page was born and Virginia stayed home to raise her. Son Richard Keith was born in 1955 to complete the family.
Virginia was an accomplished seamstress and craftswoman. She made all her own clothes using designer fabrics and her own tailored touches. She was passionate about gardening, delighting each spring as the azaleas bloomed into "fairy land" along the stream in her yard. Virginia was an active member of the Mount Vernon garden club and the Woodland Park Ladies Club for many years. Virginia was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, famously taking a heating pad to warm her sleeping bag, alas there was no electricity at the camp site. She amazed us all by working the crossword puzzles in the Washington Post in ink.
Virginia fought hard for civic causes, often pushing to keep her community suburban and to protect the environment. A lifelong learner and reader, she worked as a Library Aide for 10 years at the Sherwood Hall Branch of the Fairfax County Public Library System which she loved.
Virginia will be missed by her family, friends, and neighbors for her positive outlook on life, her good humor, and her devotion to her faith. We plan a memorial service sometime in the summer.
www.mountcastle.net/obituary/virginia-g-moran/
She was the daughter of John Lewis and Mary Elizabeth Giles, born August 24, 1920 near Chatham VA. One of eight children growing up on a tobacco farm in rural southern Virginia, she attended a one-room schoolhouse to begin her education and her lifelong love of reading.
After graduating from Chatham High School she was determined to attend college but money was scarce. In the fall of 1940 Virginia was finally able to go to James Madison University with the savings from her job at Dan River Mills. She divided her time between study and working part time jobs at the University library and in the dining hall, where she got a reputation for sneaking out muffins to hungry classmates. She majored in Home Economics, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1944.
Virginia began her career working as a teacher but she soon realized teaching was not for her so she headed to Washington DC. She and her sister Mary roomed with other young women flocking to Washington after WW II. She worked as a nutritionist in a large cafeteria, planning the meals and supervising staff. Finally, she found her true passion working at Harris Labs testing products for market. She joined the All States Sunday School Class at Mt Vernon United Methodist Church where she connected with many other young people moving to Washington from states around the country. There she met and married a young Army veteran from West Virginia, Jearld V Moran in 1949.
Virginia and Jearld moved to the Mount Vernon area of Alexandria, VA in 1951. Many of their city friends questioned the young couple's move so far out of town in the "country" but they loved their home on Woodland Lane and hosted an annual July 4th picnic each year for their Sunday school class. They remained active members of their Mt Vernon Place UMC church community all their lives. In 1952, their daughter Emily Page was born and Virginia stayed home to raise her. Son Richard Keith was born in 1955 to complete the family.
Virginia was an accomplished seamstress and craftswoman. She made all her own clothes using designer fabrics and her own tailored touches. She was passionate about gardening, delighting each spring as the azaleas bloomed into "fairy land" along the stream in her yard. Virginia was an active member of the Mount Vernon garden club and the Woodland Park Ladies Club for many years. Virginia was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, famously taking a heating pad to warm her sleeping bag, alas there was no electricity at the camp site. She amazed us all by working the crossword puzzles in the Washington Post in ink.
Virginia fought hard for civic causes, often pushing to keep her community suburban and to protect the environment. A lifelong learner and reader, she worked as a Library Aide for 10 years at the Sherwood Hall Branch of the Fairfax County Public Library System which she loved.
Virginia will be missed by her family, friends, and neighbors for her positive outlook on life, her good humor, and her devotion to her faith. We plan a memorial service sometime in the summer.
www.mountcastle.net/obituary/virginia-g-moran/
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