Virginia Elizabeth Petty Dorminey, 99, of Tifton passed away peacefully on March 1, 2023 at her home. A service to celebrate her life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday March 5, 2023, in the chapel of First Baptist Church, Tifton, with Reverend Mark Myers and Reverend Wayne Roe officiating. A reception for attendees will be held directly after the service in the FBC Memorial Social Hall. She will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Born June 1, 1923 in Palatka, Florida, Virginia was the daughter of the late Henry Grady Petty and Lalla Queen Edwards Petty. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Clayton “Cap” Dorminey, her stepmother Sue Carter Petty, her sister Polly Petty (Leonard, deceased) Sharp, and her brother Eugene Petty. Mrs. Dorminey took great pride in her family and is survived by her brother Robert (Mildred) Petty of Atlanta, GA and their family, her sister Joyce Petty (Bill, deceased) Owens of Pisgah Forest, NC and their family, and the family of her sister Polly, all of whom she had many fond memories and loved dearly; her three sons: Dr. Henry Clayton “Clay” (Jo) Dorminey, John Edward “Edd” (Janice) Dorminey and James Richard Dorminey; her three grandchildren: Jennifer Dorminey (Scott) Herzog, Jeanine Dorminey (Luke) Webster, and Tyler Richard (Gina) Dorminey; and 8 rambunctious great-grandchildren whose antics made Virginia laugh continuously: Jana Webster, Will Webster, Hobbs Webster, Cora Webster, Bess Herzog, Mari Herzog, Ryan Dorminey and Jake Dorminey. Virginia was immensely proud of her family and took great joy in spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The “Petty gene” of candor in speaking one’s mind is often joked to have carried through the generations!
Virginia moved to Tifton with her parents in 1930 when her father opened the Nehi Bottling Company. Having lost her mother Lalla (mother to Polly, Eugene and Virginia) to pneumonia, her father thereafter married her loved stepmother, Sue Carter Petty (mother to Robert and Joyce). After graduation from Tifton High School, Virginia graduated from the University of Georgia where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and made many lifelong friends. Virginia worked in Jacksonville, Florida for IBM after college during which time she and Cap, the “handsomest fellow she had ever seen,” enjoyed 4 1/2 years of prolific letter writing while he was serving in WWII. They were married May 24, 1946 in the chapel of FBC Tifton.
Virginia was a homemaker, gift shop owner and a devoted lifetime member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church, where she held many volunteer positions including Sunday school teacher, choral choir member and librarian. She enjoyed traveling, playing bridge and quilting with lifelong friends and was a member of the Camellia Garden Club for many years. Virginia was deeply committed to her faith and her kindness and generosity touched the lives of many. Her family is grateful for the legacy of faith, family, and fun that she left behind.
Honorary pallbearers are Donald Dorminey, Steve Cooksey, Harry Bowen, David Hilliard, Jim and Jane Sinclair, Bill and Barbara Johnson, Donnie and Linda Connell, Tommy and Merle Smallwood, Bill and Marilyn Arnold, Dr. Joe Turner, Mike Turner, Bobby Whitehead, members of the Serenity Sunday School Class and the Frank Raley Sunday School Class of FBC Tifton, members of the Camellia Garden Club of Tifton, and members of the Wiregrass Quilting Guild of Tifton.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Traditions Health LLC Hospice and Mrs. Dorminey’s caregivers, Janice Rhyne, Eddie Mae Golson, and Jo Ann McCray.
Services for the Dorminey family are under the care and direction of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial Gifts may be made to the ministries of Called to Care Inc. or Backpack Blessings, c/o First Baptist Church, 404 Love Avenue Tifton Georgia, or the charity of your choice.