Dana Virginia Riser's Obituary
Riser, Virginia Virginia was born in Denison, TX to Jackson Brinson and Effie Mae Rowsey Melton. She was the sixth of seven children. Virginia has been an active member of Wilshire Baptist Church for 30 years. Prior to that, she was a member of Gaston Avenue Baptist church for 47 years. Her father was a brakeman for the Katy Railroad. When Virginia was five years old, her father died shortly after surgery for a ruptured appendix leaving her 39 year old mother with seven children between the ages of 17 years and 16 months. This tragedy resulted in an extremely close family that cared for each other throughout their lives. For the last six years of her life she has been cared for by her niece, Pat Cullum. When Virginia was twelve, her oldest brother and sister were transferred to Dallas and the rest of the family came with them. She went to Vickery Place Elementary, which is now James Bonham Elementary. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1938. Virginia was anxious to go to work to help support her mother. After working for Titche’s and then North American Aviation in the accounting departments, she went to work for American Insurance Company which became Fireman’s Fund Insurance. After forty-one years, she retired as Assistant Manager of Agency Accounting. Robert Riser and Virginia were married in 1966. They were married for twenty-eight years before Robert died of lung cancer in 1994. They had no children. She loved to travel and went on many trips sponsored by her church. She was active in The Book End Review Club serving as secretary. At Wilshire, she was secretary/treasurer of her Sunday school class and a member of the 4-S Sewing group. When she joined the newly formed senior choir, New Song, she was surrounded by a whole new group of loving friends. As a member of the Touch Ministry, she wrote notes to every new visitor. When Touch Ministry disbanded, she continued to write to each visitor until shortly before her death. Virginia died peacefully at home on Feb. 4; just one week before her 92nd birthday. She was born Feb. 11, 1921 in Denison, TX but has lived in Dallas since 1933. She was preceded in death by husband, Robert Riser; brothers, Harvey, Dale, Leo, and Norman Melton and sisters, Natalie M. Cook Churchill and Gerry Connally. She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Pat Cullum and husband Fred, Carolyn Labac and husband Randy of Evergreen, CO, Jack Melton and wife Elaine of D’Hanis, TX, Steve Melton and wife Jane, and David Connally and wife Vickie. A celebration of life will be held at Wilshire Baptist Church on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Rd, Dallas TX 75214.
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