Funeral services for Mary Virginia Nash Watson will be Friday, February 9, 2024 at 11:00 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church of Greenville. The family will receive friends at 10:00 a.m. until the service time. She passed away peacefully at home on February 5, 2024. Burial will follow in the Greenville Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
Mary Virginia Nash Watson was born in Greenville Mississippi October 26, 1929, to the late Jere Boyle Nash and Wilda Evans Heard Nash. She was preceded in death by her brother Jere B. Nash, Jr. She was a permanent resident of Greenville, and dedicated her life to her community, church, friends, and family.
She grew up in Greenville and graduated from EE Bass High School, Ward Belmont College and graduated from the University of Mississippi, and was a life member of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. She was a member of Chi Omega sorority and was recognized as Chi Omega Woman of the Year in 1987. She was an avid Rebels football fan and never missed a game, even spending the weekend of her 94th birthday cheering for her Rebels.
Mary Virginia was a lifelong member of her beloved First Presbyterian Church of Greenville, serving as president of Women of the Church, Circle Leader, and Bible School teacher. She had her four children dressed up and in church every Sunday as long as they can remember, which was rarely an easy feat. She was awarded Life Membership of Presbyterian Women of the Church in 1989.
A life-long advocate for Delta agriculture, she was a partner in Agriventure Farms in Rolling Fork, Mississippi and served on the Executive Committee of the Delta Implement Companies. She served as chairman of the Mississippi Cotton Women’s Committee and the Delta Council Women’s Committee. In 1995 she was honored as Good Middling Lady by Delta Council.
Her commitment to agriculture (and love of clothes) included promoting USA made cotton clothing throughout the United States in the USA Grown and Made Campaign. She was a member of Riverside Cotton Wives, modeling cotton apparel statewide and at National Beltwide Cottons Conferences all over the US. For ten years she worked at Stein Mart as a Boutique Lady. She was known for a sense of style that brightened every room she came into.
Mary Virginia’s patronage of the arts included taking her four children to every cultural event in the Delta, even if they could only survive until intermission. She served as president of the Greenville Symphony Association, president of AMICI, (North Mississippi Metropolitan Opera Council), on the board of the Delta Music Association, and the EE Bass Foundation. Her involvement in Delta Center Stage included serving on the Board of Directors, providing props, hosting cast parties, and never missing a production. She was awarded the Delta Center Stage Ben Wasson Award in 1988. Along with Jere and Margie Nash and her nephew Joe Nash, in 2007 she was honored with the Lifetime Contribution to the Arts Award by the Greenville Arts Council and Greenville Honors its Own.
With loyal dedication to promoting Greenville and the Delta, Mary Virginia assisted the Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the City of Greenville, and the Chamber of Commerce by opening her home to people from all over the world. A member of the Greenville Garden Club, she also served as chairman of Keep Greenville Beautiful Committee, and was named “An Angel Among Us” for sharing her kindness, joy, and generosity with all she encountered.
She was a Life Member of Junior Auxiliary, and was honored as Queen of the 1998 Charity Ball. She was a staunch supporter of the YMCA, where she could be found working out with Wesley and RuthAnn well into her eighties.
Mary Virginia was cherished mother to four children Gay (Tim) Stover, Naples FL; Glenn (Mille) Watson of Rogers, AR; Amelia Watson of Hico, TX; and Tom Watson of Ellijay GA. She was beloved “Meme” to her four grandchildren John Pieralisi and Thomas Pieralisi, and Katie (Kyle) Payne and Trey (Kassade) Watson. Her four great-grandchildren are Beau and Ada Belle Payne, and Nash and Aspyn Watson.
Mary Virginia (or Mary V as she was fondly called) loved life, people, her church, and her community. She traveled all over the world, and loved to dance, shop, cook, and entertain. She has been known to drive a tractor, water ski, camp out, and parasail. Her legendary hospitality, beauty, generosity, and vibrant spirit will never be forgotten by anyone who knew her.
She embraced each new day, and was known to say every morning, “It looks like another beautiful day. We are so lucky!”
Gifts in her memory may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Greenville or a favorite charity.