Virginia Hankins, age 90, of Statesville, NC, formerly of Bandy, Virginia, passed away on October 21, 2017 in Statesville, NC. She was born in War, West Virginia on September 8, 1927, the oldest of seven children born to the late Joseph Leslie Altizer and Liza Catherine Harrison Altizer. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Hankins; her son, Wayne A. Cole, and two sisters, Marcella Sweet and Anna Barrett.

Virginia is survived by her sister Edith Robinson, Tazewell, Virginia; brothers Fred Altizer of Williamsburg, Virginia, John Altizer of Williamsburg, Virginia, and James Altizer of Bandy, Virginia. She leaves behind her three children, Carol Cole Ruhl and husband, Steve of Charlotte, North Carolina; her son Troy Cole of Cleveland, North Carolina, and daughter Connie Cole Lee and husband, Toney of Statesville, North Carolina. She had two step-daughters, Sophia Watkins of Bucyrus, Ohio and Kathy Ratcliffe of Tazewell, Virginia. She will be fondly remembered by James Sweet and Louie Barrett.

She adored her seven grandchildren; Daniela Cole Wukovitz of Vienna, Austria; Elisha Scott of Denver, North Carolina; Troy Cole, II of Mooresville, North Carolina; Harrison Cole of Cleveland, North Carolina; Ben Ruhl of Charlotte, North Carolina; Jessica Lee Brown of Rogers, Arkansas; and Rhett Lee of Kannapolis, North Carolina. She had one step-granddaugher, Melissa Watkins. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren. Her beloved dog, Lady will greatly miss her.

Virginia had a deep faith and loved gospel music. Her favorite way to celebrate any occasion was to be around family. She loved people and would go anywhere at the drop of a hat. Her travels included Alaska, Canada, and Austria.

Funeral services will be on Wednesday, October 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands, Virginia. Interment will follow at Greenhills Memorial Gardens, Claypool Hill, Virginia. Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Wednesday.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN or Hospice of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Rd, Statesville, NC.

Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands, Virginia is in charge of arrangements and those wishing to express sympathy may do so online at http://www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com.