Virginia Burgoyne

Bluefield, WV - Virginia W. Burgoyne, 90, of 604 Albemarle Street, Bluefield, WV, died on Saturday, July 4, 2009, at Westwood Nursing Center, Bluefield, VA after a short illness. Born August 31, 1918, in Quincy, Illinois, and was the daughter of the late Gertrude Storemer Winters and Lawrence Winters. She was a member of the First Christian Church, in Bluefield, WV, and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and recently became a great-grandmother. Virginia worked for the City of Bluefield as a School Crossing Guard for 49 years, the last 19 as Supervisor. While serving as a Crossing Guard she made 31 trips to Gettysburg, PA and Washington, DC with the Bluefield AAA school patrol caravan. She also worked as a Meter Maid for 10 years and was selected as City of Bluefield "Employee of the Month" and "Employee of the Year" in 1991. In 1956, she was selected by the Governor as one of the first two women in West Virginia to serve on the Grand Jury, and was selected to be featured in the 1975-76 Bicentennial Edition "Personalities of the South". Active in civic and community affairs, Virginia was very active in Masonic work, serving as Mother Advisor of the Bluefield Assembly #48 Order of the Rainbow for Girls for 14 years and District Deputy for 5 years. She served as Worthy High Priestess of Macedonia Shrine #8 Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, and as an Instructor in the organization. She served as Worthy Matron of Bluefield Chapter #66 Order of the Eastern Star and was the Secretary for 30 years. She held several offices in Grand Chapter: Grand Representative to Pennsylvania in West Virginia in 1972; Grand Representative to Montana in West Virginia in 1997; Grand Ruth in the Grand Chapter of West Virginia; was the President of the Grand Representatives Association in WV. She was selected to receive the Rose Award, the highest honor obtainable in Eastern Star, for volunteer service within the community. She volunteered with The March of Dimes Telerama; Mental Health; American Cancer Society; Salvation Army; United Way; Chamber of Commerce Lemonade Days (9 years); and the Bluefield Rescue Squad Auxiliary. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Eastman Burgoyne, and a brother Lawrence Winters, of Montrose, Colorado. She is survived by a daughter, Charlene Burgoyne Meade and her husband, Jody; three grandsons, Chris Meade and wife Cristina and baby Nicklaus of Ozark, MO; Mike Meade and companion, Chrissy Gilbeau of Ozark, MO; and Jeffrey Meade and wife Tara of Myrtle Beach, SC; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Winters of Montrose, Colorado; a nephew and a niece. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 11:00 at Mercer Funeral Home with Dr. Alan A. Hammond officiating. Interment will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery in Green Valley where family members and friends will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends Tuesday July 7, 2009 from 6:00 - 7:30 at the funeral home. An Eastern Star Service will be held at 7:30 pm. Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com. Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory of Bluefield is serving the family of Virginia Burgoyne.

Virginia Burgoyne

August 31, 1918 - July 4, 2009