Virginia Alphaetta Barnes Davidson

Virginia Alphaetta Barnes Davidson, age 97, died Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010, in Saline Memorial Hospital, Benton, Ark., of a heart attack. She was born Dec. 10, 1912, in Camden, Ouachita County, Ark., the daughter of Junie Frost Barnes and Myrtle Josephine Lee Barnes. On Oct. 15, 1940, in El Dorado, Ark., she married Richard Tell Davidson. Her parents, husband, four brothers: William, James, George, and Maury; and a sister Mary Alice, predeceased her. Mrs. Davidson graduated salutatorian of her class at Fairview High School in 1930, at age 17. In 1931, she enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Memphis School of Nursing, and trained and worked at Charity Hospital in Memphis. She was graduated in 1934. After graduation, Virginia returned home and got a job in Smackover with Dr. Newton making house calls with him to deliver babies for $5 per visit, regardless of how long it took. She also worked for Dr. Kennedy, who had a clinic and one bed. She went to work at the old Camden Hospital from 1935-1940. After her marriage in 1940, Virginia and Richard lived in Monticello (first), Camden, Little Rock, Pineville (La.) (their first Christmas 1940), Bentonville (their first summer 1941), Waco and Laredo, Texas, among other places, and they lived in Little Rock four different times. Virginia would get private duty jobs where she could. She worked at Baptist Hospital in Alexandria, La., when they lived in Pineville. Virginia came back home to Camden and returned to her former position at the old Camden Hospital while Richard was in the service during World War II. After the war, the couple settled in Arkadelphia where Virginia worked for Dr. Reed. In 1948, Richard and Virginia moved back to Camden. Virginia worked at old Camden Hospital. When it closed, Virginia did some private duty work before taking a job at Dr. Jack Jameson's office from 1956-1975. In 1975, Virginia agreed to be Director of Nursing at her brother Maury's nursing home in Smackover. At various times on her days off, she would fill-in or work at Maury's other nursing homes in Stamps or Hampton. She retired in 1981. On 15 Oct 1990, the couple celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Virginia was a volunteer at Ouachita County Medical Center, she was active in United Methodist Women, and attended the First United Methodist Church in Camden on a regular basis, even when her health required attendance via television. Since she had no children of her own, she always made her nieces and nephews feel at home, with freshly made beds or pallets, delicious home-cooked meals, clean clothes, a little money here or there if needed, or a thousand other demonstrations of her love. Survivors include a sister, Joan Barnes Krueger of Benton, a brother, Richard Conway Barnes of Rancho Cordova, Calif., a sister-in-law, Charlotte Turner of Camden, a brother-in-law, Weldon Gordon of Round Rock, Texas, and a host of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Friday August 27, 2010, at First United Methodist Church Camden with Rev. Buddy Ratliff officiating. Interment will be 2 p.m., Friday at Bethlehem Cemetery, Joan, Ark. Visitation will be at Proctor Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 5-7 p.m. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Camden. To sign the online guest register visit www.proctorfuneralhome.com.