My friend Virginia. We did hard time together in the Eureka Springs city jail. She had just been sentenced to serve the jail time until court was adjourned that evening. It was 2 o’clock on a Friday afternoon.
The judge was a fair judge, but the fact that a small town seventy-year-old Sunday school teacher had accepted a dare from her visiting granddaughter, whom she so adored, to “steal” baby Jesus from the local nativity scene ended up making national news. And I think Virginia might have enjoyed appearing on Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno to tell the story a little too much, at least for the judge’s taste.
She was held in contempt for not writing a letter of apology as ordered, although she did pay the $500 fine for “stealing” the baby Jesus. I finished my cases quickly and went to sit with her to “discuss” her appeal. We sat there for hours into the evening and became lifelong friends. And we discussed everything but an appeal.
I always admired her for how many of our LGBTQ friends she led to Christ, after they had previously been turned away at some point in their lives, showing them Christ’s love rather than the world’s judgment.
She was what I call a prayer warrior with a fierce unwavering faith in God. She taught me that the trials and hardships in life are to be met with gratitude, as gifts from God, from which we grow, and our souls evolve.
She never liked Frank Sinatra’s song “[I did it] My Way.” She always implored me to, “Let God lead the way.” I remember a couple weeks ago when I went to see her and I was really down. She was still able to listen and give the best advice. She told me she would often be sad before she learned to, “just give it to God.” I took her advice.
When I went to see her yesterday, I knew it wouldn’t be long. and I felt that she was already free. I felt a quiet joy as I knew it was time, her body was so tired. She took her last breath this morning, on her 91st birthday.
As we were walking out of the jail that night back in 2007, she asked me if she still had to write that “damn letter of apology.” I said, “Well hell no, we’vealready done our time.” She then asked if I liked martinis, and I told her I had never had one.
Her husband Bill was already enjoying one with a couple of friends, so I drove us to her house and we enjoyed one together. It was an acquired taste, but with the help of good company I acquired it. That would be the first of many between two good friends.
I have to believe when she arrived this morning, she and He had quite a chuckle. I bet she told Him well you know I was gonna bring it back and then had quite a laugh together at the things folks get worked up about down here.
And then maybe, just maybe, sat down for a martini. A very much well-deserved martini, for a life wonderfully lived and a job well done.
Chris Flanagin
It is all so very true!!! RIP, friend.