Virginia Weatherford Higgs Sumpter

Virginia “Tuda” Weatherford Higgs Sumpter was born on January 10, 1939, to the late Harvey and Georgianna Weatherford in Reidsville, NC. At an early age she moved to Hampton, VA. She was the fourth of ten children and the oldest daughter in the family. Virginia attended Hampton City Schools and entered the world of work as a contractor at NASA. She was married to the late Renon J. Sumpter who preceded her in death in 2022.

Virginia was a member of Mercy Seat Baptist Church for 28 years. There she was an active member and loved her church dearly. Virginia faithfully served as Coordinator for the Mercy Seat Food Bank Ministry for 28 years. It was her joy to organize, shop for, and distribute food to those in need through that ministry. Having come from a very humble beginning, she valued the importance of giving and being a blessing wherever there was an opportunity. She had the gift of giving both generously and joyfully, and she supported various charities, including the Leukemia Society of America, Pat Roberts Operation Blessing, The Mission House of Norfolk, the Salvation Army, and the American Heart Association, to name a few.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Harvey and Georgianna Weatherford, her husband, Renon J. Sumpter; her brothers Willie Weatherford, James Weatherford, Alton Weatherford, Robert Weatherford, and Wilbert Weatherford, and her nephew, Brian Weatherford.

Virginia leaves to cherish her fun and loving memories two daughters: Barbara H. Jones of Hampton, VA, Regina A. Jones (Patrick) of Williamsburg, VA, and one son Rodney A. Higgs (Sandra) of Mechanicsville, VA; five grandchildren: Dr. Kantrice Rose of McDonough, GA, Kayode Baker of Jonesboro, GA, Meagan S. Jones of Washington, D.C., and Malachi and Mikaela Higgs of Mechanicsville, VA; seven great-grandchildren: Ashanti, Tamaya, Cameron, Tenaju, Chloe, Autumn, and Wyatt; four sisters: Margaret Gill (Richard) and Lola Stallings (Johnny) both of Hampton, VA; Jacqueline Stallings (Billy) of Newport News, VA; Dorothy Weatherford of Williamsburg, VA, and a host of nieces, nephews, family members, close friends, and neighbors.

Virginia loved God first, and she faithfully held on to His unchanging hand. She trusted in Him through every situation, from her healing, to the very end of her life. Her family takes comfort understanding that she truly has received her best healing in her heavenly home. She adored her family and friends and the times she spent with them. One of her favorite past times included doing puzzles: crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and word searches. Her family fondly recalls that she was an avid shopper, and she could remember the location of every item in stores that she regularly patronized. You would only have to call her before making a trip to the store, and Virginia would gladly direct you to find exactly what you wanted. Another fond memory is her love for beauty, colors, and decorating. She could grab a can of paint and use it to decorate anything in her path including her shoes and hats.

Her family will forever miss her sweet and giving heart. Her children are forever grateful to God for their mother who modeled how to express kindness, forgiveness, care, love, and sacrificial giving by the way she lived. Praise God for her life and her legacy, as she always stated, “treat all people well because you never know who will give you your last drink of water.”

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