Obituary of Virginia Norris Barham

Funeral services for Virginia Norris Barham, age 97, of Oak Ridge, Louisiana will be held at 3 P.M. Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Oak Ridge United Methodist Church with Rev. Judith Bazer officiating. Interment will follow in the Oak Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Golden Funeral Home. Visitation will be at the church from 2 P.M. until the time of service at the church. Virginia was born on April 24, 1912 in Oak Ridge, Louisiana. She graduated from Oak Ridge High School and Kidd Key College in Sherman, Texas. She married Eugene A. Barham in 1937 and traveled the world with him throughout his Navel Career until retirement in the early 1960's. The Barhams returned to Oak Ridge, where they served their community for many years. She was a member of the Pierian Club, serving as treasurer for many years. She was active in her church, serving as a Communion Steward and as a member of Womens Missionary Society. She died peacefully at her home on the afternoon of March 5, 2010. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry Jesse and Gladys Hope Norris; her sister, Emma Sue Norris Shepard; and her husband Eugene Alexander Barham, USN retired. She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Virginia Sue Shepard Barr, Nancy Files Allen, Garnett Jane Barham, Sally Barham Dienes, Terrell Barham Moss, Lydia Barham Oswalt, Mary Files Winsor, Frank Gibson Barham, Thomas E. (Gene) Barham, Alexander Pipes Barham, Hall Brodnax Barham, William Preston Barham, and Clint Edwin Shepard. She is further survived by a host of great and great-great nieces and nephews. Serving as pallbearers will be her nephew William Preston Barham, and great nephews, Thomas Eugene Allen, Jesse Shepard Barr, Daniel Clay Barr, James Arthur Brown, Jr., Scott Fitzgerald Shepard, and Dan Wendell Robertson. Special and heartfelt thanks are given to her caregivers, Eva Johnson, Virginia Renwick and Annette Brown. Memorials may be made to the Oak Ridge United Methodist Church in Lieu of flowers.