There are people in this world who are an example to all of us. They are the people we wish we could be more like - and we don't ever expect to be. These rare people have character, steel and talent that shines out from them. Their touch is subtle, but like a whiff of lilac on a summer evening, unmistakably their own. Virginia Jewell was one of those people.

Virginia passed away today. It is a measure of what she meant to many of us that we have been hoping for a miracle - that she would recover and be back at the Museum, at choir practice, at the Women's Club, at Arts Council, involved as ever.

Her soft voice and gentle smile hid a woman of great intellectual acumen. Her knowledge of Hickman County history was encyclopedic. She had files on all aspects of our local lore - and she could put her finger on them with very little notice. She read the dictionary for fun. She wrote for the paper and published two books. She wrote the "Columbus Exiles" vignette performed this year during Civil War week.

She also had time to offer supper to two strangers one evening. I remember being astonished when she stopped in the bookstore and offered us supper. I am not sure I even knew her name. She saw we were tired and dirty from cleaning. We stopped by gratefully and picked up our supper. She never again mentioned her gift. It was not her way.

My fondest memory will be of Virginia being so excited by the turn out at the organ concert in October that she was practically dancing. She worked long and hard to put it together. Many came because "Miss Virginia" called and invited them. Others here will have longer memories of her, more interesting reminiscences. She was truly a pillar of our society - not in a pushy, grande dame sort of way, but in her quest to help us remember our history, care for our community, honor our past and work for our future. She was, as Judge Whitesell said recently, "a real jewel."

Goodbye Miss Virginia. Godspeed, God bless. May angels sing you home. We are richer for havng known you.

MY VIRGINIA  
by John Kelly Ross, Jr. 

          First, you must realize that Virginia really was a Jewel, a gem, a beautiful soul with a heart overflowing with love and compassion for others.  A West Virginia born girl who came to love the history & people of her adopted home of Hickman County.  A very modest and unassuming woman who never wanted credit for her many services to her community.  A loving friend to many.  Devoted to her family. 

          A jewel is cut & shaped to reveal its inner beauty.  Small flat cuts, called facets, reflect & refract light in many different directions to charm the eye.  Virginia's many interests & activities were the facets of her personality, aspects of her kind and generous nature. 

          Virginia was involved in so many ways with our community through her church, her music, her many clubs, the historical society, and our county museum. 

          I can only speak here about my personal Virginia, just about a few of the many facets of our jewel:  the woman I worked with for so many years, the local historian, my dear friend.       
     Virginia preserved so much of our county's history in her newspaper articles and her two books.  And without her we simply would not have the Hickman County Museum.  Virginia donated two houses and the land they stand on to become the museum.  She gave us many family relics for our collection. 

          And most importantly Virginia gave of herself, of her time.  Every Wednesday since the museum opened Virginia gave tours to visitors.  She also worked on special events, fund raisers, and displays for the museum.    Virginia and I often spoke about our local history to visiting groups at Columbus Belmont Ky State Park.  We worked together on the recent renovation of the Park museum.  And so much more. 

          As I write this I can't help expecting any moment to feel a very familiar little tug on my shirt sleeve.  This would always happen at the museum just before I would be interviewed by a newspaper or TV reporter.   I would turn around and there would be Virginia, whispering,
   "Now  John, you don't have to tell them all that about me." 
And then Virginia would quietly slip to the back of the crowd hoping to avoid being interviewed or photographed. 

          I prefer now to think of Virginia as being somewhere behind me, out of my sight, quietly waiting for the crowd to go away,
so we could be alone together.  I shall wait for that tug at my sleeve, that gentle voice. 

Someday, someday, I shall feel it again.  And I will turn around. 
And there she will be.

Virginia and John Ross share a table.

One can safely say, "Virginia is a rare jewel".