Virginia Land Merrell was born in Bay Springs on March 7, 1911, to James Richard and Clementine Lewis Land, the youngest of seven siblings. She went to be with the Lord on April 27, 2013, at the age of 102. She grew up in the Rose Hill and Bay Springs area in Jasper County.

Virginia married Harvey Green Merrell of Rose Hill on June 20, 1934. They were married 65 years until his death in 1999. She is survived by her three children, Bob Merrell, and wife, Christiane, of Slidell, La., Evelyn Swalm, and husband, Sherman, of Brookhaven, and Jan McMurrey, and husband, Julian, of College Station, Texas; six grandchildren, Robyn Tucker (James), Maj. Glen Merrell (Susan), Cmdr. Teague Swalm (Carolina), Lynne Donchez (Lt. Col. John), Meagan McMurrey and Devin McMurrey; and eight great-grandchildren, Tyler and Xan Tucker, Bryn and Camden Merrell, Keano and Maya Swalm, and Cole and Gavin Donchez.

After marriage, Virginia and Harvey lived in Forrest, where they both taught school. After the war, they came back to Rose Hill for a short time. Harvey went to work for American Oil Co., moving the family to Birmingham, then Jackson for l0 yrs., before settling in Grenada. A devoted mother and wife, Virginia was involved in many activities in her communities. While in Jackson, she was president of the PTA of several schools, captain of the Mother’s March of Dimes, president of the Junior Symphony Orchestra and Garden Club president in Jackson and Grenada. She was president of the Grenada Twentieth Century Club, where she presented many reviews of literary works and was active in the DAR. Virginia was a hostess for the Natchez Pilgrimage Club’s historic Rosalee Plantation Home. She was an excellent seamstress and avid chronicler of family genealogy, as well as her and Harvey’s retirement travels abroad. They also traveled the states with their children and grandchildren. Virginia and Harvey had friends of all ages all over the world with whom they corresponded, visited and traveled with.

Virginia was active in her church in Jackson, Broadmeadow Methodist, and the United Methodist Church of Grenada. She was presented an honorary lifetime membership in the Women’s UMC group in Grenada. She was a Bible study leader for years and played the piano at various churches. She encouraged her children to love music through the piano, violin and singing. A couple of years after Harvey’s death, Virginia moved to Brookhaven to be with her daughter, Evelyn, and closer to Bob and Jan. In 2011, she celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends.

Services were held Tuesday at Rose Hill Methodist Church, Rose Hill, with burial next to Harvey in Green Valley Cemetery, Rose Hill.