Virginia Octavia McMahan

Born: November 12, 1923 Died: July 20, 2008 Virginia was born November 12, 1923 in Celina, Texas to parents, Charles and Hattie Lewis. As a young woman, she moved to Fort Worth. There she met Rodney McMahan, a young man following Gods call in the Christian ministry. They were married November 26, 1944. As Virginia and Rodney served the Lord together, he was pastor of several Baptist churches during the 1940s and 1950s. They remained childless until Timothy was born in 1956, followed by Phillip in 1958 and Sharon in 1961. Around the time of Tims birth, Rodneys diabetes-related health problems forced him to take less demanding employment. He continued part-time evangelistic preaching until God took him home to heaven in December 1961, just 39 years old. Rodneys death left Virginia with three small children approximately 5 ½ years, 3 ½ years, and 6 months of age. She never married again. With Gods help, Virginia did a great job raising the kids in a Christian home. Through the years she ministered to other children as well, through Bible clubs, Sunday School, day care, and home care. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Maude Payne, May Umphress, and Ruth Wilson, her brothers Bill, Hugh, Raymond, James, and Melvin Lewis, several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, her husband Rodney and grandson Phillip Gregory McMahan. Virginia is survived by sisters Ruby Cantrell and Inez Byrd, sister-in-law, Ann Lewis, daughter Sharon (and Sharons sweetheart Wilson James), sons Phillip (and his wife Michelle) and Tim (and his wife Nancy), granddaughter Lee Ann, grandson John and numerous nieces and nephews.