Virginia Spalding Gibson
May 13, 1928 ~ February 3, 2021
Mary Virginia Spalding Gibson, 92 years old, of Waldorf, MD, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at the home of her daughter, with her family at her bedside.
She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Henry Gibson, son Glenn Michael Gibson, parents Bernard and Mildred Spalding, and brothers Eddie, Bernie, and Bubby Spalding.
She is survived by her three children, Carol, and Terry Moore of Salisbury, MD, Mary Ellen and Allison Webster Jr. of Salisbury, MD and John "Timmy" Gibson and Dee of Mechanicsville, MD. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Stephanie LaMonaca (Phalon), Chelsea McFadden (Eric), Glenn, Grady, and Gabrielle Gibson (Andrew) and was blessed with seven great-grandchildren Grace, Hayden, Danica, Karis, Tarah, Sophia, and Jayden. Virginia is also survived by her sister-in laws, Shirley Krucelyak, Betty Ann Spalding, their families and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She loved them all!
Virginia was born and grew up in Leonardtown, MD. She was fiercely proud of her hometown and cherished St. Mary’s county. Her father was a barber and she and her family had many life-long friends. She graduated from Margaret Brent High School and remained an active member of the MB alumni association throughout her lifetime. Until 2020, she was the secretary for the Margaret Brent Alumni Association and was active in helping plan the yearly alumni celebrations. The Alumni Association members remained close friends with Virginia and supported her throughout her most recent health event.
Virginia graduated from Towson State Teachers College in 1949. After World War II she married Henry, her high school sweetheart. She began her teaching career at Mt. Rainier Elementary School in Prince George's County, while Henry completed Strayer’s Business College and later worked for the Census Bureau in Suitland, MD. Together they raised their four children. Virginia went on to teach 3rd grade for many years at Berkshire Elementary school in Forestville, MD.
While living in Suitland, Virginia and family attended St. Bernardine’s Catholic Church where she was a member of the Altar Guild. In 1971 the family moved to Waldorf, MD. Virginia continued to live on Bonnie Lane in Waldorf for the next 49 years until her passing. She was an active member of St. Peter’s Catholic church, sang in the choir and participated in numerous church-sponsored events.
Virginia was a dedicated and life-long teacher, leaving a lasting impact on the children she taught and their families. She was admired and respected by her education colleagues and actively served for many years on the Comer School Development program started by Dr. James Comer, Yale University. She was honored as a nominee for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award for Prince Georges County, MD. Many of her students continued to stay in contact with her long after having her as their third-grade teacher.
After retirement, Virginia spent time visiting with her family and friends. She loved her neighbors and friends in her Waldorf community and was grateful for their help and support during her later years on Bonnie Lane.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 from 9:00AM to 11:00AM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home Leonardtown, MD where a Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM with Father Keith Woods officiating. Interment will follow in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery Waldorf, MD .
Virginia loved flowers, or if preferred, donations in her name can be made to CoastalHospice.org of Salisbury, MD, or The “Friends” of the St. Clement’s and Piney Point Museum, Clements, MD.
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My heart hurts for all of the family. Having lost Dad, Aunt Virginia’s brother, in December and now her is a challenge and brings great sadness to say the least. I will treasure the moments with her. Mom and I were talking the other night and I asked Mom, do you remember during one of Dad’s garage parties I danced with Aunt Virginia? Mom said yes, I was scared to death you were going to make her fall! Aunt Virginia and I danced like teenagers. I twirled her around like the old days and I will never forget her laughter at that moment. Truly a memory I will carry forever! I talked to her a couple of days before she passed and I am thankful that I had the opportunity. Bless her, she was the only one that called me Wanda Ann all my life and I just loved it. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. I am so thankful to have had Aunt Virginia in my life. She is with Dad and all the others now. Knowing that she is at peace I hope eases your heart. Much love, Wanda Ann
To my mom with love,
I will always be thankful to have had a wonderful and loving mother like you.
You have taught me so many things and have always been there for me.
I will carry on your legacy by being like you, kind, caring, gentle and loving. You are my angel.
I can find peace in knowing you are in heaven with Dad and Glenn.
Until I see you again, like we always would say, Woo Woooo for now.
I will always love you my mother my friend,
Peace be with you.
Love your daughter Mary Ellen
To one of my favorite people in the entire world,
To say that I am going to miss you is an understatement. The love I have for you is beyond words. Your strength, even until the end, is something I will never forget and will always admire about you. I hope to continue to make you proud and teach Sophia so many of the life lessons you taught us. I will miss my pen pal but I know I can talk to you whenever I want. You were my angel on Earth and now you are my angel in Heaven, please continue to watch over all of our family. I will love you forever!
Love,
Stephanie
“cheekies” XOXO
P.S. Give grandad a big hug from me!
Oh Gmom….I’m missing you on a level I can’t even explain right now. But I can tell the world how grateful I am to be your granddaughter. How you taught me so much about life! How to loved unconditionally. How you always gave without expecting anything in return. You went out of your way do for other, always. No one ever had a bad day, they simply had “a moment”…that you always believed they could bounce back from. You are my hero. You have always been my safe place. You were my second mom in a way. I was always at your house as a child. I LOVED every minute of it. The dress up, the adventures into the swamp, playing school and going to Lendardtown!!!
You took a piece of my heart with you when you left us. It’s okay because my children and i will do everything we can to make this world a better place, just like you did. I love you Gmom. So, so very much.
Well God has accepted another angel in heaven. I can’t imagine what life would have been without Aunt Virginia in my life. We lost Glen many many years ago. He was the oldest son Advanced Virginia and Uncle Henry. Carol, next Tim, and Ellen. I truly miss all the days that we used to get together as a family. Picnics, all the party events down at pop and grandmother’s house enable along with parties at other houses including Aunt Virginia’s and Uncle Henry’s house. Those were some of the best days of my life. Mom, Bebe Gibson and Dad, Charles Gibson we’re very instrumental in bringing me up to be the man that I am today. Spending time with Uncle Henry my dad, and Uncle James in the Duck Blind was some of the quality moments as men that I ever had. Memories and cherished love is never lost. I love you Virginia I love you all and someday we will be together again, God bless you Aunt Virginia and family, and God bless the United States of America. Love Nick
I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Virginia. Such a wonderful, smart and loving woman she was. Virginia will always hold a special place in my heart. She loved to attend my chorus concerts at White Marsh Elementary School, even coming for years and years after all of her grandchildren had left the school. I always saved her a front row seat of honor because she was such a special and welcome guest. May she rest in peace until we meet again. My deepest condolences to Virginia’s wonderful family.
To my Mother-in-law with love,
Virginia treated me like family from the day I met her. She was a very special lady to me.
I will always remember all of our special times we shared and late night talks we had.
I loved the way she loved me and will miss her with all of my heart.
Until we meet again, Love you Virginia Woooo Wooo
Allison C. Webster, Jr.
A quote from my beloved mother, “I am fine, I am home, and this is where I want to be.”
Mom, I thank you for all of the opportunities you’ve given me and the many “life lessons” I learned from you. You have been the foundation on which my life is built upon. I will miss all of your daily calls and numerous letters, though some of those letters were more like novels! Please be assured that I have read them all and will keep them close to me. I always worried about you living alone after dad passed away, but I respected that you lived your life the way you wanted. Mom, I am now no longer worried. I know you are fine and you are happy being with dad, Glenn and many other of our family members and friends who have gone before you. You are now in your heavenly home.
I will love you always!
Timmy
Dear Virginia,
I think of all the children you encouraged, parents you helped, colleagues you supported, and friends and family you loved and inspired. You were a model to us all and I will treasure the days we worked and laughed together.
Phil and I thank you Virginia, for your strength, guidance, love, and inspiration.
Until we meet again,
Beckie and Phil
We are so sorry to hear of the passing of our beloved Virginia. We’re sure you know, but let us validate it firsthand that she was a remarkable, caring, loving and committed teacher and servant to the Lord. Virginia brought out the best in every one of her students, especially her most challenging ones. For those that possessed impairments to learning of any kind, she brought out her secret box of strategies; always searching until she found one that would break through whatever barrier that was impeding their learning.
As a colleague, she was always upbeat, kind and disarming with that big, genuine smile. Whenever our staff worked together on school-wide or community projects, we could always count on “Ginny” – as many of us called her – to bring 100% of effort, research and creativity to the task.
We know that God must have had the biggest smile when Virginia entered the Gates of Heaven. We’re sure that his greeting must have gone something like this: “And this is my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased.”
Please know that our hearts are heavy but with you as you journey through this difficult time.
May the Peace of the Lord be with you,
Ann & Russ Lancaster
I can honestly say – I loved my mother-in-law, very much!
Virginia, it still seems unreal to me that you are gone. I cherish all of the time we spend together – discussing sports, especially the Orioles, world events and (until the last few years) – politics.
I greatly admired your warmth, kindness, intelligence, your unyielding sense of fairness and your loving spirit. You and Henry graciously welcomed me into your family and you continued to support me throughout the ups and downs of life. You taught me so much and helped me to be a better person.
Go with God Virginia. You will always live in my heart.