Virginia Jones Campbell, 96, died of natural causes on March 23, 2022 at her daughter’s home in Amherst Massachusetts.
She is survived by her brother, William Bostwick Jones and his wife, Jane Jones of Greensboro, AL; her son, Robert Campbell of The Woodlands, TX; her daughter Laura Campbell Klock and husband Lynn Klock of Amherst, MA; and her daughter Harriet Renee Campbell of Alexandria, VA. In addition, she leaves four grandchildren (Kathleen Findley; Suzanne Klock; Jennifer Cunningham; and Benjamin Klock) and 7 great-grandchildren (Madeline Findley; Emma Claire, Avery, and Isla Cunningham; Aylen Romero Klock; and Lola Mae and Shepherd Klock Davis.) Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, John Ed Campbell and her daughter in law, Betty Clark Campbell.
One of six children, she was born Virginia Keene Jones to John Gaston Jones and Virginia Howard Jones in Montgomery, Alabama. She developed a love of music and of learning at a very early age. Following her graduation from Huntington College in Montgomery with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and French, she obtained a Master’s degree in Voice and Music History from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.
After teaching at Albion College in Michigan for a year, she married John Ed Campbell from Scottsboro Alabama, whom she had met while singing in a church choir in Montgomery Alabama. Not long after they married, John’s career as an aide to Senator Lister Hill brought the family to the Washington area where they settled and raised their three children. Virginia directed church choirs in Alexandria, first at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and later at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. As the Director of Music at Mt. Vernon UMC for more than 40 years, she led the adult and children’s choirs, started a handbell choir, and was heavily involved in the church’s Vacation Bible School. She even painted church windows and was a mainstay in the church’s annual yard sale and outreach activities, including the local Shelter Program at Rising Hope Ministries. She was also active in the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
Teaching and making music were truly her calling in life outside of her family. She loved nothing more than inviting everyone to share in the joy of making music together. Never one to sit still for long, she also enjoyed offering lectures on art and architecture to groups of friends and neighbors. A life-long learner, she studied Italian, Latin, German, and American Sign Language and for mental exercise did a daily sudoku. Recently, she was studying Spanish so she could better communicate with her granddaughter’s husband and family in Chile.
Virginia led a life of service to her family, her church and her community and will be remembered fondly and gratefully by all whose lives she touched. A memorial service and reception in her honor will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 2:00pm at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 2006 Belleview Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in her name may be sent to Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church for the John and Virginia Campbell Memorial Fund, which is dedicated to music and children’s programs or alternately to United Community at 7511 Fordson Rd, Alexandria, VA 22306 for their work in offering services to those in need.