WILMINGTON — Virginia Louise Mathews Barnhill, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend passed away peacefully Friday, January 13th, 2023 at her home. She was 84 years old.
Virginia was born April 17th, 1938, in Selma, to Mary Elizabeth ”Lizzie” Walsh and Joseph Thomas Mathews. The second of four children, she later moved with her family to Wilmington where she graduated from New Hanover High School in 1956. She went on to attend Wilmington College (later known as UNCW).
She married James Kenneth Barnhill Sr. in 1963 and they moved shortly afterward to her favorite place on earth, Atkinson. They were married for 32 years, seven of which she faithfully cared for him until his death in 1995. They had four children, all of whom survive their parents: James Kenneth “Kenny” Barnhill Jr. and wife, Regina; Leslie Ann Barnhill Tyler and husband, Mark; Mathew Vance Barnhill and wife, Kim; Amy Barnhill Collins and husband, Larry. She was “Grandma Virginia” or “Old Grandma” to ten grandchildren and nine great grandchildren: Corey Tokoly Barnhill and wife, Rebekah, and their children JohnAnna, Haddon and Virginia; Carrie Daniel Roberts and husband, Jeremy, and their children Baker, Louise and Anna George; Kendi Barnhill Haywood and husband, Clay, and their sons Joe and Wells; Kenneth Harrell Collins; Jackson Reid Tyler; Bailey Elizabeth Collins and her daughter Greenley; Butler Mitchell Collins; Douglas “Vance” Barnhill; Lanie Nicole Barnhill; and Joseph “Hugh” Collins. She is also survived by her sister Judy Johnson and husband, Phil; sister-in-law Jeanie Mathews; brother-in-law David Prince; and a multitude of other family members and friends.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she is preceded in death by her sister Betty Mathews Prince, and brother James Leslie Mathews.
Virginia was a faithful member of Atkinson Baptist Church where she attended 51 years and served in many different capacities throughout that time. Her working career included 30 years with Southern Bell, where she developed many lifelong friendships before retirement, and First Citizens Bank, where she retired with 17 years of employment. She joined the Wilmington Celebration Choir in 2014; traveling and singing gospel music with the group was a highlight in her life.
Virginia prided herself on community and took advantage of any opportunity to be involved. Among her memberships were the Group Of Atkinson Ladies (GOAL) Club, Red Hat Society, Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), Burgaw Area Garden Club, Atkinson Fire Department Auxiliary, Woodmen of the World, Pender County ABC Board, Meals on Wheels, and Pender County Home Demonstration, to name a few.
Her hobbies included gardening, sewing, visiting the beach, walking around her town, attending auctions, rummage sales (or junkin’ as she liked to call it), playing her piano, singing with her choir and spending time with family and friends. She truly never met a stranger and was loved immensely by so many.
Virginia wanted a special thank you expressed to Dr. Henry Cromartie and all the staff at UNC Rex Cancer Center, as well as the team at Lower Cape Fear Life Care.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at Atkinson Baptist Church, 200 E. Church Street, Atkinson, 28421; where a Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until time of services. Burial will follow at Haw Bluff Cemetery, 1433 Haw Bluff Church Road, Ivanhoe, NC.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haw Bluff Cemetery Fund, 1433 Haw Bluff Road, Ivanhoe, NC 28447.
