Virginia Dodd
Virginia Bridges Dodd, 84, of Rossville, went to be with the Lord peacefully on Wednesday, October 25, 2012 at her home, surrounded by her loving husband and family.
She was born in Etowah County, Ala., and graduated from Emma Samson High School in Gadsden, Ala., and had decided early in life she wanted to become a registered nurse. She came to Chattanooga where she attended and graduated nursing school at Erlanger in 1948. While attending school at the University of Chattanooga she met her husband, J.W. Dodd, Jr.
She loved God, was a devoted Christian, and she was a member of Fairview Baptist Church. During her 56 years she served as nursery director, Sunday School teacher, sang in the church choir and a member of the Vota Vita Class. She also loved working with the children in Vacation Bible School. Mrs. Dodd cherished her many years in her nursing career, she loved her family and she was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She had a heart always open for love.
She was retired as a registered nurse from Hutcheson Medical Center with over 40 years of service and was supervisor for the Recovery Room and GI Lab. She enjoyed attending, working out with her YMCA friends and cooking Sunday meals for her family and always giving them a goody bag each week with specials she had purchased at local grocery stores.
Anyone who knew her loved her and her loving spirit. She was the epitome of a true southern lady and devoted Christian.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Clayton Bridges and Louis Adkins, sister, Betty Bridges, brothers, Clayton, Daniel and Reggie Bridges, great-granddaughter, Sophie Tankersley and a special nephew who she loved as one of her own children, Lane Bridges.
She is survived by devoted husband of 61 years, J.W. Dodd, Jr.; daughter, Susan (Dewane) Tankersley; sons, Mark (Sheree) Dodd and Joe (Gayla) Dodd; grandchildren, Jeremy (India) Tankersley, Kevin (Courtney) Dodd, Jay (Degeorgea) Tankersley, Joseph(Selah) Dodd, Jonathan , Jarred & Brooke Dodd; brother, Bobby (Louise) Bridges; sisters Faye (Ray) Seidlitz, and Pat Knowles; great-grandchildren, Abi-Grace, Gisele, and Jasper Tankersley and Hudson Dodd; nieces and nephew, Ronnie and Marnie Dodd, Sandy Dodd- Zigler,Geline Znika, Mike Seidlitz, Laticia Stewart, and Sonja Knowles.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. at the Fairview Baptist Church, 108 Jenkins Road, Rossville, with Pastors Jim Bennett and Joe Dodd officiating. Interment will follow at Tennessee-Georgia Memorial Park with her grandchildren serving as pallbearers.
Mrs. Dodd will lie in state on Saturday from 12 p.m. until the funeral hour at the church.
Honorary pallbearers will be the 10 a.m. class of the North Georgia YMCA and Vota Vita Sunday School Class.
To share expressions of sympathy, visit lane-southcrestchapel.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Church Ministry at Fairview Baptist Church. A special thanks is extended to the staff at Hospice of Chattanooga and special friend, Phil Copeland, for their compassionate care.
The family will receive friends on Friday, Oct. 26, from 4–8 p.m. at the South Crest Chapel of Lane Funeral Home & Crematory, located at the end of historic Missionary Ridge, Rossville.
Virginia Dodd