Tribute to my Aunt Virgie

Virgie Novice Christian died yesterday at 96 years of age in Lubbock, Texas. She was the 6th child of 12 born to John and Alice Christian in 1909. Alice Christian died when Virgie was only 22 and Virgie's quest in life became that of her mother's, to keep the family intact. Virgie became "mother" to her five younger siblings, including my father, George. George was the baby of the family and Virgie virtually raised him after his mother's death. George was eight years old.

Virgie took on this new responsibility to care for the family, giving up her own personal dreams and ambitions in life.

I remember my aunt Virgie as a loving, caring, small woman. She was allergic to tomatoes! My dad would sometimes pick up Virgie on Saturday and she would spend the evening with us, eating supper and spending the night and then going to church with us the next morning. This was significant to me because Virgie was the only person in my daddy's family, "like us." In other words, she was the one I saw as a Christian and everyone else just went to church somewhere. It must have been through her and her raising of my dad that he was a Christian. I found out later in life that many in Dad's family came to know Christ through a friend of the family.

My aunt Virgie worked at a dry cleaners for many years. She walked every where she went in Lubbock. She never learned to drive a car. She either walked, rode the bus or someone in the family picked her up. One year, I was driving a church van and saw Virgie walking home from work. I stopped to pick her up and she scolded me for driving such a large vehicle. I was too small to drive something that big!

The only other time I remember Virgie scolding me was when I named my daughter Jamie. She didn't like the name Jamie. It reminded her of a little boy in school who teased her and was mean. She was afraid Jamie would be that way because of her name!

As Virgie aged and "retired" she spent a lot of time alone. She lived in an apartment complex with her apartment an efficiency. She never seemed to have much. She quilted some and had a sewing machine. The family she lived with when she retired gave her a TV for her many years of service. I think back now and realize how many years she was alone. All of her life was service to other people.

When Virgie was unable to live alone anymore, there was only three brothers left to care for Virgie and make the decisions of where she would be placed. Shortly, there were only two brothers to make this decision. Virgie had begun to have dementia and it was dangerous for her to live alone. Virgie went to live with my mom and dad for a time. But my mother's health made this difficult and it would not be long before Virgie needed more care.

My dad was able to locate a woman named Mary who was starting a home for caring for elderly and affirmed. She would only take ambulatory residents and would be happy to have Virgie. Virgie was the first to move into the home. It was a great place and there would be room for three others. Mary reminded my dad sometimes that she could only care for ambulatory patients and as Virgie aged he might need to think of other arrangements. But that day never came.

Virgie was taken to the hospital on numerous occasions and my dad would be told that this was probably the end. I remember one time when dad called to say that the doctors thought she would be gone in a day or two. Virgie was just sleeping and would not eat. About two days later, my dad went to the hospital to find Virgie sitting up in bed, eating and when he walked he, she stated, "hi, George." We all marveled, even the doctors, as Virgie returned to Mary. Our thoughts were all collective as we said, "she will outlive us all."

As Virgie became less able to care for herself, Mary took care of her more and more. She bathed, diapered and fed Virgie. In the last few years, Virgie had become totally bedridden. Mary never talked again of Virgie leaving as she loved Virgie.

Mary was a God send for my parents. Mary took care of Virgie like her own child. When I was in Lubbock in March, I went to see Virgie. As we entered her room, it was a bedroom with a hosptial bed. Unlike the smells and dingy-ness of a nursing home, it was very pleasant. My dad had not been able to get any response from Virgie in several months. Virgie would just lay, sleep and occasionally eat what Mary could coax her to eat. When I arrived, my dad went to her bedside and spoke loving words to her and told her I was there. I went to her other side and talked with Virgie and shortly, she turned her head, looked at me and smiled. She turned to my dad and said, "she is so pretty." As we were leaving, we both told Virgie we loved her and she mouthed the words, "I love you" back to us. With tears in my eyes, I suspected then that would be the last words I would hear from my aunt Virgie. I believe they were probably the last words my dad heard as well.

This sums up my Aunt Virgie. As she lay withered and dying, she was thinking of others. Virgie always knew my dad when he would visit. She would sometimes get confused who my mother was, but she always knew George.

Yesterday, my dad lost his sister, but he also lost his "mother". Virgie was a selfless, wonderful, Christian who is now at home.

Thank you Lord for the quiet spirit of my aunt Virgie. She touched lives as she lived quietly for you. She may not be known far and wide but she was known and loved by those around her.

Goodbye Virgie and I will see you when I come home!