Virginia Lee Sherrill entered her heavenly home on Friday, May 5, at the age of 96. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Mobley-Groesbeck Funeral Service of Sand Springs.

Funeral service will be 2 p.m., Thursday, May 11, at The Father's House with Rev. Danny Lynchard officiating. The service may be viewed live at The Father's House | Sand Springs OK | Facebook Graveside service will be 2:30 p.m., Monday, May 15 at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery. Visitation will be 12-8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home with family greeting friends 5-7 p.m.

Virginia was born August 17, 1926, on the Anderson Farm at Shell Creek in Sand Springs to Walter Jefferson Hurd and Sarah "Sally" Virginia (Hicks) Hurd. Virginia's father was a farm manager and foreman, and the family moved many times during her youth. She began school in Jenks and spent her longest time in Wagoner in the Yonkers community, attending school in Locust Grove. It was on this farm in the sticks where she met Orvel Ward Sherrill on the next farm over. Virginia often woke up early each morning to gather eggs and took them to school to buy dairy and meat for her family. At the ages of 15 and 17, Virginia and Orvel were united in marriage on July 3, 1943; and made their home in Silverton.

It was important to Virginia that her children spent their childhood in one home. They settled in Sand Springs where they raised three children: Gloria, Ward and Barbara. Virginia worked with the kids on their spelling every night which also helped her to become a better speller. Virginia's first job was manual labor at the porcelain plant in Sand Springs. It was when she felt like the kids needed her more at home that she stopped working there. Virginia later went to work at Charles Page High School as a cook to help put her children through college. There wasn't anything that Virginia wouldn't do for her children. Her endless generosity also helped in purchasing all of her grandchildren's first cars.

When her son, Ward, finished his master's degree, Virginia earned her G.E.D. She then went to work at Blue Cross Blue Shield where she worked in the underwriting department for 10 years.

Virginia was an excellent cook and loved a sparkling clean kitchen. She cooked for many church functions at Broadway Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Mannford; and was always available to provide meals for the Silver City Fire Department. It was during their time at First Baptist Church in Mannford when Virginia was approached about a playground for the children. She became the chair of the committee and was proud to have raised the funds for the playground the children still enjoy to this day.

Never sitting idle, Virginia took lessons over the years in painting, playing the piano, candy making and cake decorating. She also crocheted many beautiful items and kitchen towels and sold them at craft shows. Virginia also enjoyed working in her yard growing vegetables and tending to her flowers and canning the fruits of her labor.

Virginia was generous, feisty, hardworking, and somewhere along the way became the alpha of the family. Orvel's still not quite sure when that came about.

She is preceded in death by her parents; and siblings: J.D. Hurd, Preston Hurd, Fred Hurd, Gladys Jo Hurd, Thad Hurd, Dorothy Cretch, Charles Hurd, Glenn Hurd, Geraldine Muehlberg, and son-in-law Wayne Fowler, Sr.

Survivors include her loving husband of 80 years, Orvel; children: Gloria Virginia Pickett and husband, James C. Pickett, Ward Lee Sherrill and wife, Linda Bradshaw Sherrill, and Barbara Sherrill Fowler; sister, Lorene Coffman; sister-in-law, Lucy Hurd; grandchildren: Daniel Pickett and wife, Abby, Russell Pickett and wife, Debbie, Brad Sherrill and wife, Stephanie, Dawn Sherrill Hamilton and husband, Nathan, A. Wayne Fowler, Jr. and wife, Donna, Sherrill Miller Davis and husband, Shane, and Don J. Fowler and wife, Tricia; great-grandchildren: Paige Pickett, Grace Pickett, Alison Thomson, Adrienne McKnight, Kayla Meredith and husband Dylan, Taylor Hamilton, Kennedy Hamilton, Reese Hamilton, Christian Fowler, Madi Fowler, Braden Fowler, Ethan Davis, Ben Davis, and Brianna Fowler; and great-great-grandchildren: Kaden McKnight and Delaney McKnight.

Leave your memories of Virginia and view her tribute online at www.mogro.co.