SAM's Senior Spotlight

Senior Adult Ministry's Senior Spotlight

Interview by Addie Downs

Sitting in her home in Athens, Georgia - Virginia Lancester Shields, a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church, reflects back on her life. Virginia was born on July 6, 1918.  She grew up on a farm in Floyd, Va. where a spring supplied the family’s drinking water, and she had rivers to swim and play in in the summer.  My mama used to call me “her praying child” she says with a laugh. When she was six, her father enrolled her in the local Presbyterian school.  Her school was also where she attended the once a month church services.  The Presbyterian Church of Roanoke, Virginia made a commitment to education and worship by building three schools that were also used for church services on Sunday.

After Virginia finished college at age 21 she became a teacher & taught grades 1-7 in State Mt., VA in a one room, poorly built schoolhouse that she laughs about and says “it blew over the second year I was there.” She developed an effective system in which the older children listened to the younger children read while she taught math to the 7^th graders. These children invented a game they enjoyed at recess - instead of Cowboys and Indians they played Bootlegger & Revenuers!

In the mid-1940’s, the family moved to Athens. She taught at Athens High for three years and then at UGA where she taught English for 27 years. After Virginia joined First Presbyterian Church  she sang in the choir for 40 years, helped to arrange the flowers for Sunday worship services and taught at Vacation Bible School when her children were young. She joined the Mellows when they first began. Almost every time Mellows sing, Virginia is there.  “ Mellows is what I enjoy the most.”

Her favorite hymn is His Eye Is On the Sparrow, and her favorite Bible verse is Micah 6:8.

“What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with you Lord.”