| Virginia Rader Carr, 82, of Gassaway, passed away February 1, 2016 at home.
She devoted her life to connecting the branches of countless family trees. Her joy in meeting a stranger, claiming them as her cousin and proving their linage to some ancient royal blood line will be remembered in the hearts of many.
Her research in compiling of death certificate data for the Roger's family congenital heart disease Familial Amyloidosis, the co- authoring the Heritage of Braxton County West Virginia 1995, and her devotion to her grandfather Patriot, Andrew Skidmore as authored in Edmund Rogers' Skidmore History are just a few of her most note worthy genealogical contributions. Her leading participation in stirring gallons upon gallons of apple butter raised funds for marking the grave sites of Patriots, the construction of the Revolutionary War Memorial at Braxton County Court House and the establishment of the Family Research Library.
For forty years she has been the driving force motivating Elk River Chapter NSDAR and various organizations to contribute to the Veteran's project with annual contributions to Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center and sewing dozens of "ditty" bags for Desert Storm disabled veterans.
As a literacy volunteer she not only gave her students the gift of reading but added the gift of introducing them to their family heritage assuring them they came from good family stock and can accomplish anything they set their mind to. But the greatest pleasure of her genealogical research has been countless hours of connecting anyone who would show the even the slightest interest to their family roots.
Be it a high school student's senior project or a transplanted grandchild in quest of their Braxton county heritage or an illegitimate child desperately seeking connection to their birth family. She was an environmental advocate and served as Braxton County Litter Control Chairman under Governor Caperton. She was born the second daughter of Robert and Opal May Skidmore Rader in the chill pre-dawn hours of a fall day September 19, 1933, Dr. O.O. Eakle was summoned to the Rader farm on the Walnut Fork of Little Otter where he delivered a baby girl who weighed in at 2.5 lbs including clothes and blanket. That same night the Rader Brothers, known for their quality product, was running whiskey nearby.
Fearing death had come to their hollow they declared it to be their last run, and it was! She became an accurate marksman with a .22 rifle at age 12 shooting walnuts off trees and snakes along the creek.
After high school she attended business college and worked as a bookkeeper for Monongahela Power Company. The most important thing she would want us to remember is be honest first, true to your family & friends and that women should never compete but rather empower one another for the greater good of their homes, community and country.
Preceding her in death was husband, Joseph Paul Carr with whom she enjoyed 25 years of marriage with her best friend and love of her life; her parents, Robert and Opal Skidmore Rader; sister, Martha Jean "Peggy" Rader Dobbins.
Left to carry her legacy are daughter, Paula; Granddaughter, Molly Anne Harris, her husband Nathan and sons, Logan Kash and Noah Griffin; Grandson, Levi Paul Shuman (Jasmine) and son, Bryson Paul; sons, Joseph Paul Carr Jr. (Edwina) daughters, Jessica and Rebecca; David Michael Carr (Gwendolyn) sons, David and Dennis; Sharon Lynn McPherson (Jerry) daughter, Mandy; also surviving nieces and nephews whom she loved as her own children.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Virginia's "Jenny's" life 1 p.m. Friday, February 5, 2016 at Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway with the Rev. Bill Carr officiating.
Interment will be in the Sugar Creek Cemetery, Gassaway. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Hospice Care Corporation, PO Box 323 Burnsville, WV 26335. Condolences may be extended to the family at www.roachfuneralhome.com
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