Virginia B Smithwick

"Jenny" Smithwick passed away on May 7th at Windermere Nursing Home in Virginia Beach, at the age of 89 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and sister-in-law started her journey on Oct. 19, 1921 the 2nd daughter of Oscar and Lenora Jones of Hope Plantation in Bertie County, NC. After moving to Portsmouth, she attended Wilson High School where she met and soon after married the love of her life Earl Smithwick, Sr. They soon welcomed into their family Earl Jr. born Feb. 15, 1940 and Jean Born Oct. 12, 1943. Earl joined the Navy in 1944 and was assigned to the USS French while Jenny was at home working and taking care of their two young children. Jenny worked at Hoffheimers shoe store, J.C. Penney's and Sears before joining the Portsmouth Police Dept. where she worked as a crossing guard. She also owned a gift shop with her sister Bunny in Virginia Beach. Earl returned home from service in 1946. He then worked at the Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. Jenny and Earl accepted an assignment in Okinawa, Japan for 4 years, where she managed a gift shop. From there they were off to Saigon, Vietnam where she was setting up a home decor business when South Vietnam fell to the Communists. The U.S. government was flying their citizens out of harm's way and Jenny was flown out on the 2nd baby lift headed for Travis Air Force Base, California. She and Earl constructed their own house in Mathews County, VA where they lived for seven years enjoying the farming and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. Moving back to Portsmouth they settled down and enjoyed retirement spending time with their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and neighborhood friends, whom they dearly loved. Jenny loved working in her garden and played Bridge with her friends at Beasley Center. She is survived by sisters, Rhae Breakfield of Chesapeake, Bunny Carasiti of Virginia Beach; son, Earl Smithwick Jr.; daughter Jean Kerry; grandchildren, Dr. Karen Smithwick, William Kerry Jr., and Paige Capporrici; great-grandchildren, Adelaide, Sydney and Mackay Kier, Peyton, Jane and Claire Kerry, Reeves and Cooper Capporrici. We will miss her wonderful smile and her welcoming voice saying, "come on in the house and have something to eat." A graveside service will be held at 2 pm, Thursday May 12, at Olive Branch Cemetery in Portsmouth. Loving Funeral Home in Portsmouth is conducting the funeral and on-line condolences may be made at www.lovingfuneralhome.com

Virginia B Smithwick

May 7, 2011