Virginia "Jinnie" Trant's Obituary
Obituary of Virginia Helen Trant
Virginia ‘Jinnie’ Trant, of Dallas, Texas, passed away peacefully on the morning of January 29, 2020, at the age of 83.
Born in Scotsboro, Alabama in 1936 to David and Nancy Hunt, Jinnie was an only child, but spent the first 6 years of her life surrounded by a large, happy extended family, including 3 cousins with whom she would remain close throughout her life. Circa 1941, Jinnie's family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. After initially finding life difficult without her cousins, she eventually adjusted to life in Phoenix and flourished in school. She went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in education from Arizona State University. After college, Jinnie took a teaching job in Orange County, California, where she met her husband-to-be, Mike Trant, who was serving as a Marine Corps aviator at the military base in Newport Beach. They had a whirlwind romance before Mike headed off to a two year assignment in Japan. The two had a loving, devoted engagement those two years apart, as attested to through their many cherished letters. Upon Mike’s return, they married on June 20th, 1962 in Newport Beach, California.
Mike and Jinnie then returned to Mike’s home-town of Tyler, Texas, to start their married life, with Mike going to work for his father’s oil company. Their daughter Terri was born the following year and two years later their second daughter Holly was born. It wasn’t long before the family moved to Dallas, so that Mike could take up a new job as a pilot with Braniff Airlines. Those were particularly happy years, as the family was able to spend quite a bit of time together, due to MIke’s flying schedule. Mike was soon drawn back to the oil business and Jinnie supported him for the next 40 years in his various businesses and ventures. For many years Jinnie was an essential part of the business, serving as his company secretary and business manager.
Jinnie was a devoted and caring mother as well as a caring daughter, having moved her parents from Phoenix to Dallas in the early 1970s so that she could take care of them. She enjoyed cooking and baking, and walking with her friends around University Park - especially early in the morning when she could plot out a route with the best garage sales! The 1980s were happy years, spent with their close group of friends, enjoying the weather sitting on the patio, with Mike tending the barbecue and Jinnie’s beloved dogs, Bino and Micky, always by her side. During this time, they also regularly attended University of Texas football games and these road trips down to Austin were always great fun for them both.
Jinnie and Mike attended services at Believers Chapel in Dallas for over 50 years, the church and their faith being of utmost importance to them. Jinnie spent many enjoyable years volunteering in the Believers Chapel tape ministry, where she was much loved and valued. She had a beautiful alto singing voice and the hymns were always her favourite part of every church service. In the 1990s her daughter Terri moved back to Dallas and Jinnie then focused on helping raise her two grand-daughters, spending many hours helping with their homework and school projects, something she enjoyed very much.
In the 2010s, Jinnie’s husband Mike’s health and mobility deteriorated and she spent the remainder of his life as his loving carer, something that became more and more difficult for her as her own health declined. In late spring of 2014, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She was widowed in February of 2016 and, four years later, passed away from a very short battle with advanced ovarian cancer.
Although her final years were difficult, managing her husband’s illness and her own declining health, she remained ever cheerful and hopeful - always content. She had a selfless and caring soul, spending decades caring for those she loved without any expectation of acknowledgment. She lived each and every day with a grateful heart and never complained or succumbed to despair, even during the most difficult days. Her steadfast strength and endurance in caring for her husband in his final years, in spite of her own failing health, was truly remarkable. Her positive impact on those whose lives she touched was more than she would ever have known or indeed acknowledged. She was a truly extraordinary woman and an inspiration to her daughters, grandchildren, friends and all who had the privilege to know her. She will be very much missed. After so many years serving others so selflessly, may she now rest in peace.
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