Virginia "Jenny" Billips Moore

Early on the morning of October 24, 2021, Jenny passed away peacefully at home in her sleep after succumbing to late-stage dementia. She was comforted by family members and caregivers in her home in Wirtz, Virginia. Jenny was 91 years old.

Virginia Johnson was born in Pisgah, in the town of Tazewell, Virginia on April 27, 1930. She was the first child, and the first daughter, of Nancy Loraine Lockhart and Crockett Bowen Johnson.

Jenny was the oldest of four siblings, Bill, Maggie, and Tee June, all living across the river behind Pisgah United Methodist Church. As a young girl the singing coming from the church on Sundays drew her in.  One day, she was brave enough to walk in the front door. She started attending the church, joined the choir, and eventually became an active member.

Jenny married her first husband, Harry Elwood Billips, in 1948. The two of them ran multiple businesses early in their relationship, including a pop-up roller skating rink that eventually became the living room wood floor of their first home. She gave birth to her first child, Brenda Kaye Billips, in 1950.  Her second child and son, Harry Dean Billips, followed eighteen years later in 1967.

Jenny loved arts, crafts, singing, and horses. She had a side business of creating decorative household arts that still adorn many homes in Tazewell. She made jewelry and took up canvas painting in her eighties. During the past few years, she turned to colored-pencil coloring books. She was a great singer. She teamed up with three ladies from Pisgah Church, forming a trio of singers called the Gospel Echoes, who sang at many churches and were featured on The March of Dimes Telethon in 1978.  She loved horseback riding, especially her favorite horse who she named Becky Lemon.

After the loss of her first husband, Jenny found the love of her life in James “J.C.” Moore. They married on September 7, 1982, and retired to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Jenny gained three more sons – Gary, Mike, and Greg. Her now larger family filled her years with laughter, celebrations, and love. Jenny and J.C. as a couple were an amazing addition to everyone’s life.

Jenny was a wonderful Christian woman, who gave herself to her Good Lord, and was his agent here on earth. She always put others before herself. She was actively involved in Pisgah Church with fundraising, youth programs, bible school, and anything she could possibly do to help those in need. After moving to Smith Mountain Lake, she immediately became active in Epworth United Methodist Church, filling similar roles. She built strong connections in her new community and made lifelong friendships.

Jenny was a big personality – always smiling, joking, and laughing. Her laugh was contagious. She could lift people’s spirits easily in any situation. She lived a full and meaningful life, was loved deeply by anyone who knew her, and gave the world a beautiful human being. Over the past few years, her illness kept her at home, but her spirit and good nature continued to flourish. Jenny has been lucky to have had long-time home caregivers that provided a loving final chapter to her journey. This world has lost a beautiful loving soul. She will be missed immensely.

Jenny was proceeded in death by her parents, Bowen and Nancy, her siblings, Tee, Maggie, and Bill, her daughter Brenda, and first husband Harry. She is survived by her husband J.C., son Dean and partner Manuel, stepsons Gary and wife Susan, Mike and wife Trina, Greg and partner Chris, along with five grandchildren: Shon Moore and wife Elizabeth, Melissa Jeruzal and husband Doug, Jamie Moore, Chris Moore, Anthony Lane, and six great grandchildren, Ashlyn Moore, Madelyn Moore, Regan Jeruzal, Collin Lane, Joshua Lane, Aron Lane, her niece Renie Smith and her husband Ronnie, and her nephew Blain Bush, and many friends and caregivers.

Jenny will be laid to rest at a grave side ceremony on Sunday, October 31, 2021, 3 p.m. at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Dementia Society of America https://www.dementiasociety.org/