Virginia Hughes Fulton of Oxford

1911-2017

Virginia Hughes Fulton of Oxford died Monday, May 15, 2017 at Jenner’s Pond, 24 days before her 106th birthday. Virginia will be remembered for her deep faith, caring ways and a lifetime of helping/serving others. Virginia and her twin brother Raleigh were born on June 8, 1911 in Coatesville, Pa. She was the daughter of the late Walter R. and Minnie Gray Hughes.

Surviving are daughters Susan (Joseph) Glass of Millersville and Sandra Day of Oxford, her pride and joy grandson Michael Day, and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by son-in-law William Day, brothers Parke, Donald and Raleigh Hughes, and sisters Grace Harris, Esther Bonsall and Alice Webber.

Virginia graduated from Coatesville High School in 1929. After graduating from the Coatesville Hospital School of Nursing in 1933 as a Registered Nurse she did private duty nursing until 1940 when she joined the US Army Nurse Corps. She was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center until receiving orders to report to Tripler Army Medical Center at Fort Shafter, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii in 1941. Virginia arrived in Oahu via the USS Tasker H. Bliss on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1941. She cared for Pearl Harbor survivors and later, young polio victims at the Emergency Poliomyelitis Hospital. In 1945 Captain Hughes was assigned to Valley Forge General Hospital. While there she met her future husband (Waide G. Fulton). She was re-assigned to Walter Reed in 1946 where she remained until her separation from service in 1947. Virginia continued in the Army Reserves until 1954.

Moving to Oxford in 1950, Virginia taught Red Cross courses in Home Nursing and Mother & Baby Care, assisted with blood drives, Polio vaccine clinics and volunteered as a school crossing guard. Virginia was the Oxford Elementary School nurse from 1957 to 1976. She is fondly remembered by students for using her No. 2 yellow pencil to search heads and for dispensing peppermint water for upset stomachs. She received her B.S. in Public School Nursing from West Chester State College in 1967. Retirement didn’t slow her down. Virginia was the first nurse to work at Ware Presbyterian Home. She played golf into her 90’s and enjoyed traveling with her family, especially the trips to Hawaii when she was 92 years & 100 years young. Virginia never met a marshmallow Easter peep she didn’t like. Her secret to long life was “loving everyone” and eating lots of chocolate.

Virginia was a long time member (60+years) of the Oxford United Methodist Church. She was very active in the Winner’s Class and the United Methodist Women; she was the chairperson for missions for many years and she was famous for organizing Rummage Sales held at the church.

Virginia was a member of the Octoraro Chapter #463 Order of the Eastern Star, XYZ, and the Oxford Area Senior Center. Virginia was named the Citizen of the Year in 2003 by the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce. She was a Life member of VFW Post 7294, Millersville, PA and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Post 1779, Oxford, PA.

Family and friends may call at the Oxford United Methodist Church, Market and Addison Streets, Oxford, PA from 6 to 8:30 PM on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 and from 9:30 to 11 AM on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Services will be held from the church at 11:00 AM. An Eastern Star service will be held Tuesday at 8:00 PM. Burial will be in the Oxford Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Virginia’s name may be made to the Oxford United Methodist Church, 18 Addison St., Oxford, PA 19363.

The family wishes to thank the Jenner’s Pond, Ruston staff for the tender care they provided for Virginia during her stay and to Willow Tree Hospice staff who tended to her in her last days. The family would also like to thank Dr. David Callahan for his many years as her family physician.

Arrangements by Edward L. Collins, Jr., Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford. Online condolences can be given at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.