Virginia Dare Miller Parish

Virginia Dare Parish (nee Miller), joined her Lord, the love of her life and seven of her nine sisters in Heaven on October 27, 2020 at the age of 94.

Virginia is survived by her children: Barbara Dare Yount (Rick), Fort Worth, Texas; Stephen Leo Parish (Cathy), Abilene, Texas; Kimberly Anne Garza (Richard), Evanston, Illinois; her four beloved grandchildren Barbara Leanne “Bonnie” Yount Lampasona (Robert), William Christian Yount (Meredith); Stephen Joshua Parish (Weiwei), Andrew Raymond Garza (Danielle); and her precious great-grandchildren Madilyne Dare Lampasona, Mason Joseph Lampasona, William Jackson Yount, Luke Thomas Yount, Violet Louise Yount; sisters Jean Roberts, Collierville, TN; Eunice Stevens, Fulton, Mississippi; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Homer Leo Parish, her parents John William and Midgie Belle Hathcock Miller, brothers Dow Lorenzo Miller; Daniel Franklin Miller; Kenneth Ray Miller; sisters Martha Mae East, Dorothy Louise Parham, Jo Will Thornton, Nellie Dean Parish, Alice Ruth Stanford, and Midgie Belle Hodge.

Virginia was born July 13, 1926, in Smithville, Monroe County, Mississippi. She was a star basketball player at Hatley High School. After graduating, she married Homer upon his return from the service in World War II. They married on July 28, 1945 and settled in Monroe County. In 1955, they moved to Winthrop Harbor, Illinois where they were active members of First Baptist Church, Zion. Their back door was always open, and they welcomed family and friends in their small living room or at their kitchen table at any hour. Homer and Virginia returned to Amory, Mississippi in 1987 where they worshipped and served at Meadowood Baptist Church. Virginia moved to Texas in 2011 to be near her family.

Virginia loved and was loved by the Lord, her husband and family, adored her grandchildren and great-grands, and her friends. We will all miss her teasing, her infectious laugh, her inability to tell a joke, and the way she made joy or grief better through a pot of chicken and dumplings or a homemade cake or pie.

Visitation will be at E.E. Pickle Funeral Home in Amory, MS, Monday, November 9th from 12-1:30. A celebration of life, officiated by Pastor Lloyd Sweatt will follow immediately. For those unable to attend, the service will be available for viewing on the Facebook page of E.E. Pickle Funeral Home. Masks and social distancing will be required by all attendees. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Blackhawks Blind Hockey/AHAI, c/o Kimberly Garza, 820 Michigan Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202. A converted hockey fan since the US brought home the gold in 1980, she loved to watch her grandson play. The donation made in her name will help support this organization as it provides kids and adults who are visually impaired the opportunity to participate in hockey.

Memories and condolences may be shared with her family at EEPickleFuneralHome.com