Virginia was born December 2, 1938 in Waycross, Georgia. She was the middle child to older sister, Annette Thornton and younger brother, Joel Thornton who survive her. Virginia's life will be celebrated in a memorial gathering at the Wasco Methodist Church Social Hall, 1441 Seventh Street, Wasco, CA at 11:00 am, Saturday October 24th. Virginia attended school in Waycross, Georgia until her mother moved to West Pittston, Pennsylvania where Virginia graduated from West Pittston High School in 1956. That fall she enrolled in Kings County Hospital Center School of Nursing in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to Bakersfield, California where she continued her studies at Bakersfield College and Cal State, Bakersfield, where she received her R.N. license and her Bachelor of Science Degree. Further studies while commuting to Cal State Northridge, and working full time in the ICU-CCU units at San Joaquin Hospital, lead to her Public Health Nurse License and her School Nursing Credential. In 1975 she was employed as the school district nurse for the Wasco Union School District. In 1978 Virginia married Jim Forrest and they worked together in Wasco until they both retired from the Wasco Union School District in 1993. Virginia is survived by her husband of 31 years, Jim Forrest. She is also survived by her sister Annette Thornton of Monrovia, California and her two daughters Donna of Pennsylvania and Sheri of Twenty-Nine Palms. Her brother Joel Thornton and wife Andrea also survive her in Mountain View, Hawaii and her nephew Tito Thornton and wife Sondra live in Grants Pass, Oregon. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Pamela Bianchi and husband Greg and their two children Matthew and Paige. She also leaves sister-in-law Judy Clarich and husband Arvin of Bakersfield. She is also survived by numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. In lieu of flowers donations may be made be to the Forrest Family Living Memorial of the Wasco Community Scholarship Association, P.O. Box 7, Wasco, CA 93280 or the charity of your choice.