Life of Virginia Hale Winters for Dan Winters.net

My mother Nancy Virginia Hale was the daughter of Layne Hale and Ota Farley. She had five brothers Archie, James (Buster), John D, Charles (junior) and Robert (Bobby). She also had three sisters Sylvia Kazee, Marvel Winters, and Belva Geer.

Mom was born on a small farm on Lofty Lane of Crooked Creek in Logan West Virginia. Within about 5 miles of there she went to church, town, and school for 10 years and was married as a teenager. When I was about 12 years old (1945) my mom and dad purchased a farm on Crooked Creek, about a mile from Lofty Lane where we lived for about 6 years (1951).

My mother, Nancy Virginia Hale Winters was 22 years of age when I was born. She and I enjoyed 28 years together here on earth along with the other members of the Winters’ family.

According to the Bible she is now living on streets of gold, where the gates are of pearl; and there is a river of life so she will never die. I am positive she went to Heaven because she loved Jesus with all of her heart. She served Him all of my life. If I could only hear her speak, I wonder what she would tell me about Heaven. I know she would want me to tell everyone to prepare to take the journey that ends in that beautiful place called Heaven. You can read more about Heaven at www.JesusSaves.cc

During the summer of 1962 I purchased a lot on Lake McLeod in the town of Eagle Lake and intended to build Mom and Dad a new home there overlooking the lake. Mom and Dad took a three weeks’ vacation to visit all 9 of her brothers and sisters. Mary Nell took our three children to spend a couple of nights with Sheba and Arnold Godwin in Orlando. Dad and Mom came home on July 17th, and we had supper together. I went back to visit her and dad the next morning and they were not home; she had gone to the hospital during the night with a coronary thrombosis. Mary Nell rushed home; I spent the night with mom at the Winter Haven Hospital; Mom died about 7 a.m. on July 19, 1962, at the young age of 50. Many family members came from WV to attend her funeral. They met at our house and many parked on the front lawn and down the driveway and alley way.

Her death made a great impact upon my life and changed my perception. She did not leave me any inheritance according to the values of this world. However, she left me immeasurable Christian and moral values and a great Pentecostal witness by the life she shared with me which I treasure more than silver or gold. She lived a great Christian testimony and heritage which I share and have treasured for the more than 60 years since her death. People who knew her tell me often of how my mother was a great woman who impacted their lives. Many people recall how she shared her love with everyone she met in such a way that it left a lasting impression. She was genuine. She loved working with the young people and the children at church.

Everyone loved Virginia Winters. She only lived 50 years, but she did a lot of living and brought joy and hope to everyone she came into contact with. After her death the West Winter Haven Church built a boy’s dormitory at the bible school on the island of Isadora or Isabela in the Philippines in memory of Virginia Winters. In April 1964 Lovell Cary caused a plaque to be mounted on the building and sent a picture back to the Winters family. (See picture below).

After Moms death I began to reevaluate the priorities of life. I knew that Mary Nell preferred that I not be away from her and the children so much. She was always so sweet and understanding, however I wanted to spend more time with them too. It was difficult trying to please the Halabrins my employers and her also. I was concerned as to what my wife and family would think of me if I should die and leave them at an early age like my mother did. What would be the most important things I could do for my family? To spend more hours with the family, I began considering resigning from my job at Tip Top TV and Appliances.

My mother Nancy Virginia Hale is pictured in center of back row, at about 8 years of age in year of 1919: