[List] Obituary for Mother of Mark Horton

[Cecil Stokes]

  Virginia Horton


    December 29, 2020

Virginia Lynn Fuqua Horton died Dec. 29 at the age of 90.

  Born Feb. 9, 1930, she grew up on a farm in Rogersville, the fourth 
daughter of Lewis Mason and Osie Jo McLemore Fuqua. Dubbed “best all 
around” in her senior class at Lauderdale County High School, Virginia 
enrolled in Florence State Teachers College (now UNA) with plans to 
become a teacher. A few days of practice teaching convinced her to shift 
instead to business and accounting, where she excelled. After graduating 
from college, her work life centered around bookkeeping and office 
management, mostly for car dealerships. After retiring from full-time 
work, she kept busy by working as a tax preparer for H&R Block.

In addition to a career path, college introduced Virginia to fellow 
student and eventual electrical engineer Cowden Wiley Horton, whom she 
married on June 21, 1953. They had 62 years together before he died in 
2015, and yet she said, “I thought we’d have more time.”

Family was everything to Virginia. Her four sisters were among her best 
friends. She doted on her younger brother. The four children she raised 
grew into a large family- who she loved being Nana/Nanny to.

As a young mom in the 1960s and 1970s, Virginia was a dependable school 
and PTA volunteer. She read the newspaper cover to cover every day. Her 
signature spaghetti recipe came from a Chicago restaurant she never 
visited. Her wild ham sandwiches were famous. While she was proud of her 
pound cake, in truth it was bone-dry unless soaked in fresh strawberry 
juice. She claimed never to have had any alcohol beyond one sip of wine 
at one office dinner party. She loved reading, vegetable gardens, 
hummingbirds, dogs (not cats), old TV shows, sweets and (sometimes) the 
Atlanta Braves. A lifelong Methodist, she was a member of Edgemont 
United Methodist Church but had been physically unable to attend for 
some time.

Never warm and fuzzy, she was smart and strong and clear-sighted. She 
seldom hesitated to speak her mind, which remained sharp until the end. 
When she was in her early 40s and businesses were increasingly 
incorporating digital technology, she learned how to use a computer to 
keep office accounts that previously were managed on paper. Virginia 
lived with several serious health problems for years and was diagnosed 
with COVID-19 the day before she died.

She is survived by her children: Leigh Ann McKelway (Bill) of Richmond, 
Va.; Mark Horton (Shannon) of Huntsville; Mary Lynn Tipton (Lyn) of 
Gurley; and David Horton of Florence. Additional survivors include nine 
grandchildren and nine great-granddaughters.

A graveside service will be held for Mrs. Horton on Saturday, January 2, 
2020 at 11:00 A.M. at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, 
please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society.

The family would like to extend a thank you to special family friend, 
Amanda Hill for her years of caregiving, love, and support. As well as 
ElderCare and Glenwood Center for their continued support.

Arrangements were entrusted to Elkins Funeral Home. You are invited to 
leave condolences on our website at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com 
<http://www.elkinsfuneralhome.com/>.

To send a flower arrangement to the family of *Virginia Horton*, please 
click here to visit our Sympathy Store 
<https://www.elkinsfuneralhome.com/obituary/virginia-horton/flowers>.

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