Virginia Mays

Virginia Mays, also affectionately known as Ginny, was born July 1, 1926, to the late Mary Hicks and Thomas Peterson in Alberta, VA.  She was the youngest of their eighteen children, and all of them preceded her in passing.  Our family matriarch departed on Sunday evening, September 1, 2024, in her NE Washington, DC home.

Virginia was baptized at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Dolphin, Brunswick County, VA at an early age and was formally educated in Alberta VA. She met and later married Flournoy Mays in 1946. While living in VA, she was always busy at home planting and tending her garden, which she frequently enlisted with the help of her 3 older children, offering fresh cucumbers and tomatoes off the vine as payment. She raised chickens, sold eggs and worked in the fields to provide additional income for the family. It was hard work, but she loved it, and she often told stories to her grandchildren about those times. 

Virginia and Flournoy moved to Washington DC.  While Flournoy worked two (full-time) jobs, she was a proud homemaker, and she often offered a haven and welcoming hearth for others in the neighborhood. She was always taking on home projects, painting, repairing things, landscaping, you name it!  All while babysitting and caring for her grandchildren, and eventually great grandchildren, she became the neighborhood “MOM” to anyone that crossed the threshold. While Flournoy worked and provided the essentials for the family, SHE was the backbone, that provided selfless love and support.

In 1997 Flournoy, her husband and lifelong mate, preceded her in passing. She is survived by her four children: Blanche (Johnson), Barbara, Leonard and Carmen; eight grandchildren: Tracy Postell, Terry Johnson, Ammad Perry, Pauline Dickson, Darlette Gayle, Lanita Mays, Emonie Mays and Miya Mays; fourteen great grandchildren: Chelsea Postell, Tory Postell, Joshua Johnson, Jaelyn Johnson, Jasmine Ward, Ashley Wormley-Perez, Jude Wellborn, Jovan Dickson, Jeremiah Dickson, Amber Dickson, Deja Mensah, Dylan Gayle, Trinity Cawthorne, Kaycee Mays; and eleven great great grandchildren: Jalen Ward, Joelle Ward, Byron Taylor Jr., James Thomas, Ryan Perez, Isabella Perez, Jeremiah Wellborn, Alexis Dickson, Miah Dickson, Madisyn Dickson, and Clayton Mensah. Not to mention her loyal companion, protector and BEST FRIEND, Layla as well as a host of other family members and friends.

She loved us so deeply and differently, and all of us unconditionally. We love her dearly and will miss her always. 

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