Virginia Copeland Pickering

Virginia C. Pickering, beloved wife and mother died peacefully at her home in Tijeras, New Mexico on April 11, 2014 at the age of 96. Virginia was born in Kansas. For part of her childhood, she and her family lived in Juarez, Mexico, where her father owned silver mines. The family later moved to Arizona where she attended Bisbee High School, graduated, and worked her way through college as a switchboard operator. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in English. In 1942, she married Lt. John E. Pickering, USAF, spending her life as a military wife and mother raising their three children. She is survived by daughters, Particia Foster, husband Ronald Aparo of Denton Texas, Peggy Sumpter, husband Blake of Tijeras, New Mexico; and son, John R. Pickering of Tijeras, New Mexico. Virginia was a lifelong Methodist and a member of the Central United Methodist Church of Albuquerque since 1989 when she and John moved to New Mexico. Private family graveside services will be held at a later date at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the Presbyterian Healthcare Services Hospice Department and staff for their compassionate in home care of Virginia during the last months of her life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Nancy Floyd Hayworth Breast Cancer Foundation, 7410 Montgomery NE, Suite 204, Albuquerque, NM 87109 or The Animal Humane Society of New Mexico, 615 Virginia Street SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108.