Virginia Josephine Watson also Known as 'Granny' Virginia Josephine Mitchell Watson Ginny Granny Father: Joseph Mitchell Mother: Alberta Mitchell Married Willie J. Watson on November 14, 1975 Virginia Josephine (Mitchell) Watson, known as 'Ginny' to some but more affectionately known as 'Granny' to most, was born to the union of the late Joseph and Alberta Mitchell on June 8, 1927. She was born in Cincinnati, Oh and was the 5th of 7 children. As a child, she confessed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She received her formal education from Cincinnati Public Schools where she excelled as a student. Between late 1943 and early 1944 at the tender age of 16, Granny was united in holy matrimony to her first husband, Army Sgt. Henry Jackson. Henry was later deployed to Germany where she and her two children joined him. After 19 years in a trying marriage, Granny decided to leave Henry, and she and the children returned home to Cincinnati, Ohio. Granny was trained by Hamilton County as a Midwife because of her extraordinary passion of nurturing and caring and for others. In 1968, Granny obtained her license to be a foster parent. In doing so, she housed several children in her 30 years as a foster mother and even adopted some of the children she cared for. As a result of her training and compassion, the Cincinnati Enquirer recognized her gift by awarding her with the Nefertiti Award in 2001. Receiving the award only fueled her desire to help those in need; as Granny continued to insure that many young mothers were instilled with life skills. On November 14, 1975, Granny married the man she returned home with, Willie J. Watson. Shortly after tying the knot, the newlyweds joined Truth Missionary Baptist Church, under the pastorate of Granny's brother, the late Dr. R.L. Mitchell. Granny served on the nurse's guild, became a youth advocate, cook, and choir member. Truth Missionary later merged with Second Community Baptist Church under Rev. Joseph R. Garr where Granny remained faithful in her service to the church by becoming the clerk that mailed cards for condolences, cooked and donated food for church functions. Granny's cooking was not only famous with her church family, but as the host of all Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners, it was the needle that kept her own family and extended family a closely knit group. A table filled with Granny's soulful dishes was definately a show with the spotlight on her cakes and pies. But as unparalleled as Granny's abilities in the kitchen were, her true gift was the way she used her cooking as a catalyst to turn distant strangers into close family. And it was because of this gift that Granny was able to touch so many lives. Granny created an environment that made anyone feel at home and apart of her family. Although Granny enjoyed many years of trotting the globe, she spent the majority of her final two decades handcuffed to her bedside. Granny did not let her immobility stop her from moving mountains for her family. She was the type of woman that could be in many places, all while sitting still. Granny had the ability to make things happen for you from her bedside to let you know that you were not alone. Granny's love, words of wisdom and encouragement was more than what you could get from any Hallmark card. People would drive for hours just to spend minutes among her embracing wittiness and laughter. Granny gave us true examples of how to look past a person's exterior and reach for the core, as she surfaced the good in all the souls she came in contact with. This was the tool that Granny used to build an enormous extended family with. Granny and her love for life were evident every day, even through times of struggle and hardship. She was called home from this life on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 after a long battle with illness at Good Samaritan Hospital. She was preceded in death by her husband of 22 years, Willie Watson and her daughter Sandra Muses. Granny leaves to mourn her passing and to cherish her memory, her sister, Betty (James) Thurman, a loving aunt, Irma Blunt of Chicago, IL (103 years old), 5 children, Norma Jean Perkins, Michael (Jackson) Harris Jr., Ronald McGhee (Stepson), Pamela Lavern Jackson, and Chauncey Watson. Granny is also survived by 29 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren, and a host of foster/ adopted children, relatives, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and loved ones. ORDER OF SERVICE Organ Prelude Sacred Scripture......Rev. Joseph R. Garr Prayer........Minister Selection...Second Community Truth Missionary Baptist Church Reading of Cards....Georgia Rayford / Pamela Jackson Moments of Reflection....Reading Obituary Silently Selection....Second Community TruthMissionary Choir Praise Dance...Andrea Baker Poems......JeMiah Cannon and JeMarr JAckson Solo....Ebony Mason Eulogy........Rev. Joseph R. Garr Benediction.........Rev. Joseph R. Garr Recessional.................. Pallbearers LeVarr Jones Sr. Ricky Cannon JeMarr JAckson Jamal Grant Sr. Damien Stanley Christopher Stanley Sponsorship Committee LeVarr Jones Sr Ricky Cannon Jr Jamal Grant Sr Jeron Grant Sr Damien Stanley Tina Gran Olivia Upsha Christopher Stanley Chauncey Watson Michael Harris Betty Thurman Pat Mitchell JeMarr Jackson Jackie Covington Colleen McCrady Strephan Lambert Lisa Lambert

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