Mrs. Virda Thornsberry

Mrs. Virda Thornsberry, 79, a live long resident of the Sidney, Ky., area died Sunday morning at the Mountain Manor Nursing Home at Pikeville, Ky.

Born Sept. 21, 1898 at Canada, Ky., she was the daughter of the late Wayne and Victoria (Maynard) Blackburn.

She was married to Elder J. G. (Jim) Thornsberry, who preceded her in death in 1971.

She was a member of the Dix Fork Regular Baptist Church for approximately 50 years.

Survivors include six sons, Enoch Thornsberry of Alta Loma, Calif., Troy Thornsberry of Baltimore, Md., Kenneth C. Thornsberry and Elder Berlin Thornsberry, both of Sidney, Harold E. Thornsberry of Illinois and Vern E. Thornsberry of North Carolina; nine daughters, Gertrude Merreck of Jackson, Ohio, Hattie Baker of Cinderella, whom she resided with the past few years, Bertha Parks of Baltimore, Ocie Varney and Lois Jean Collins, both of Toler, Ky., Sadie Cox of Alton, Ill., Wande Waddell of Florida and Sue Johnson of Michigan.

Also surviving are five brothers, Enoch Blackburn of Baltimore, Hassell Blackburn and E. W. Blackburn, both of Waverly, Ohio, Luther Blackburn of Parkensburg, N. J. and Frennie Blackburn of Tulsa, Ariz.; two sisters, Effie Crigger of Sidney and Brady McManaway of Lucasville, Ohio; 57 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

Also preceding her in death were three sons and two brothers.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced later by the Hatfield Funeral Chapel at Toler.

Friends may call after 5 this evening and services will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Williamson Daily News

Monday, May 15, 1978

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Thornsberry rites

Funeral services for Mrs. Virda Thornsberry, 79, a life long resident of the Sidney, Ky. area, will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the Dix Fork Regular Baptist Church with the Elders Harold Edmonds and Ernest Cochran officiating. Burial will follow in the family cemetery at Sidney.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Hatfteld Funeral Chapel, where friends may call at any time.

Additional services will be held tonight at 7:30 at the chapel.

Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

In yesterday's paper one of the daughters name was inadvertently omitted. It was Shirley Young of Detroit, Mich.

Williamson Daily News

Tuesday, May 16, 1978

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Virda Thornsbury

Sister Virda Thornsbury, the daughter of the late Wayne and Victoria (Maynard) Blackburn, was born September 21, 1898 at Canada, Ky. and deceased this life on Sunday, May 14, 1978 at the Mountain Manor Nursing Home at Pikeville, Ky., making her stay here 79 years, 7 months and 23 days.

She married Elder J. G. Thornsbury on January 29, 1914 and to this union was born 18 children, nine sons and 9 daughters.

Brother Jim, as we liked to call him, preceded Sister Virda in death on March 9, 1971. Three sons, Wayne, Leonard and Frank also preceded their mother in death.

She became a member of the Dix Fork Blackburn, was born September 21, 1898 at Canada, Ky. and deceased this life on Sun-day, May 14, 1978 at the Mountain Manor Nursing Home at Pikeville, Ky., making her stay here 79 years, 7 months and 23 days.

She married Elder J. G. Thornsbury on January 29, 1914 and to this union was born 18 children, nine sons and 9 daughters.

Brother Jim, as we liked to call him, preceded Sister Virda in death on March 9, 1971. Three sons, Wayne, Leonard and Frank also preceded their mother in death.

She became a member of the Dix Fork Church of Old Regular Baptist on August 5, 1928 being baptized at the hands of Elder Jonah Bevins and Elder John H. Brown. She filled her seat in the Dix Fork Church regularly and remained a faithful member until death took her from our midst. Those of us who are left behind will long remember the good meals she cooked for visitors to the Dix Fork Church and the gracious manner in which she and Brother Jim invited us into their home.

Survivors include: Enoch Thornsbury, Alta Loma, Calif.; Troy Thornsbury, Baltimore, Md.; Kenneth C. Thornsbury and Elder Berlin Thornsbury, Sidney, Ky. Harold E. Thornsbury, Medora, Ill., Vern E. Thornsbury, Marshville, N.C.; a foster son, Gregory Thornsbury, Royal Oak, Mich.; Gertrude Merricks, Jackson, Ohio; Hattie Baker, Cinderella, W.Va.; Bertha Parks, Baltimore, Md.; Ocie Varney and Lois Jean Collins, Toler, Ky.; Shirley Young, Detroit, Mich.; Sadie Cox, Alton, III.; Wanda Waddell, Al-Canto, Fla.; and Sue Johnson, Royal Oak, Mich. Also surviving are five brothers, Enoch Blackburn, Baltimore, Md., Hassell Blackburn and E. W. Blackburn of Wheelersburg, Ohio, Luther Blackburn, Clarksburg, N.J. and Frennie Blackburn, Tucson, Ariz.; two sisters, Effie Crigger, Sidney, Ky. and Brady McManaway, Lucasville, Ohio; 57 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren; and a host of relatives and friends who are left to mourn her loss. But we feel that our loss is her eternal gain. For she, like Mary, hath chosen that good art which shall not be taken away from her. We believe that she, like the psalmist David, could say, "The Lord is my shephard; I shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever."

To the children, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends we say, weep not for Sister Virda, whom we feel will meet us in Heaven when this life is over but rather weep for yourselves and your children. She and Brother Jim made you children a good home here in this world and now they are waiting for you to join them to live forever in Heaven where all will be peace, joy and happiness forever and ever. Our prayer for all of us is that we may meet Jesus and the Holy Angels and dwell with them and God forever.

Written as requested by the family, by one she dearly loved, Elder Harold Edmonds