Virginia Ann (Mann) Whitehurst

Virginia Ann Whitehurst, 85, stepped into Heaven January 24, 2023. Christ uttered, "It is finished," as friends and family sang Amazing Grace at her bedside. She was the daughter of Annie and Otis Mann. She and her 8 siblings grew up in Wetumpka, Alabama. She was married for 21 years to the late Leon Whitehurst and the mother to their precious boys, Francis, Travis, Davis and Curtis. She loved her grandchildren, Aaron, Andy, Ashley, Amaris, Jonathan, Stephen, Kalee, Brandi, Kristy, Starla and all her beloved great-grandchildren.

As a young woman, Virginia left Alabama to go to California, then to Louisiana, and eventually made her way home to Longview, Texas. She loved to bake and sew. She was especially known for her candies, cookies, cakes, and pies during the holiday season. Many of her recipes were published and can be found in her children and grandchildren's kitchens today. Chocolate was one of her favorite foods, and she was known for her sweet tooth.

Collecting cookbooks, watching cooking shows and Wheel of Fortune, gardening, and flowers were things she delighted in. It was even said she could take a small branch and grow a tree from it. She especially loved to talk about when her boys were growing up. She would take them to sporting events and cheer for them at the baseball park. She loved sharing stories of the good ole days and had a memory like you wouldn't believe. She never forgot a detail.

She was very fond of dancing, listening to Elvis, and watching Jimmy Swaggart and Billy Graham from her recliner.

Even in her last days she was mouthing the words to old hymns with family and asking for a bite of a cinnamon roll. She loved the color pink, and grocery shopping was high on her list of favorite things to do.

In lieu of flowers, take a moment to value friendships and family, dance like no one is watching, read a book, tell your children you love them a lot, eat something sweet, plant flowers, make amends and never forget the importance of forgiveness and the power behind the name of Jesus.

A funeral service for Virginia Whitehurst will be held at Welch Funeral Home, Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 6:00 pm. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation at the funeral home one hour before the service.