Margaret Virginia Lewis, age 82, of LaVergne, passed away the morning of January 17, 2025 at Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro after a brief illness.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, Samual Clyde and Katie Mae Gregory Thomas; four brothers, Claude, Bub, Jack, and Mikey Thomas as well as three sisters, Mary Lou Deal “Sis”, Jean Warren, and Vicki Gilley.
Born on the Panhandle in Manchester, TN, Virginia grew up and graduated from Central High School and soon married Joseph Daniel “JD” Lewis of Cannon County with whom she started a family that continues to grow.
Her husband of 63 years survives her as well as their three children, oldest son Keith Lewis and his wife Renee, younger son Phillip Lewis, and daughter Teresa Howell and her husband Jimmy, beloved grandchildren, Shelbie King (Justin) and Jesse Lewis, Matthew (Ashley) and Mychael (Stephanie) Howell and great-grandchildren Roman and his newborn sister Audrey King as well as Haylee, Jace, Jaxson, Nolan and Archie Howell.
Virginia was a devoted wife and partner, a fierce and protective mother and a fun and loving Nanny. She ran the house, occasionally did plumbing when it was necessary and was even known to work on a car if the need arose. She was no wilting southern flower. She was tough but kind. She met our daddy at the door with a cup of coffee when he got home from work and she made sure there was a clean, happy and stable home for all of her children. It was priority for her children to grow up in a peaceful home and we are forever grateful for that. Our friends were always welcome and the home she made was a refuge for all of us.
Lest you get the impression she was boring, brace yourself. She played the slots from Reno to Atlantic City and Metropolis to Biloxi. She and her best friend and sister, Vicki, traveled all over to try their luck – including Vegas. Together with their sister Jean, they traveled often to Florida with various groups of us kids and had a ball listening to the waves roll in outside the open balcony door while playing the scratch-offs and supervising the chaos. She loved a good slap-stick comedy (Naked Gun anybody?) and took great joy in embarrassing her uptight kids in public.
Needless to say, we are going to miss her but she is in a much better place with her loud, fun-loving family and friends that she’s missed for so long. She would tell you she was very lucky to have the life she had and we were even luckier to share some of it with her.
There will be a private graveside service for family and close friends and an informal get-together to celebrate her when the weather warms. https://www.woodfinchapel.com
In lieu of flowers, buy yourself a lottery ticket or put a $5 in a machine in her memory because you just never know. You might hit the Jackpot.
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