It is with heavy hearts that we share that Virginia Lee Pickering passed away on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at 91 years young. Virginia Lee Pickering was born in Auburn, Washington, to her parents Archie Meade and Lou Ella Lee on May 28, 1931. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, Mrs. Myrtle Lee, in Browns Point, Tacoma. Virginia attended beautiful Stadium High School and then went on to Washington State University, belonging to the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. In 1948 she met her love, Gordon Pickering, a member of the Lamba Chi Alpha fraternity. After graduating and working in Seattle, they were married in 1952 at Christ Episcopal Church of Tacoma. Gordon and Virginia were married for 70 years and raised four children: Allen (Cheryl), Jill (Stuart), Jeffrey (Christine), and Lori; eight grandchildren: Jennifer, Andrew, Melissa, Emily, Eric, Evan, Abbie, and Sadie; and 14 great grandchildren.  With Virginia's wit and memory, she knew all her family's birthdays and anniversaries, commemorating each with a card and gift. She so loved her family.  An excellent chef, Virginia loved to plan and cook delicious dinners for special occasions.  Besides raising her family and being a wife to Gordon, she used every available moment to read; it brought her so much joy. Reading thousands of books over her lifetime on every possible topic to enhance her wonderful mind, she was able to converse on almost any subject, with anyone, to the end.

Virginia was very generous with her time volunteering with Mary Bridge Festival of Trees, Neiska, Orthopedic Guild and The Cotillion. Virginia and Gordon were also members of the Fircrest Golf Club, joining in 1975.

It will take pages to list Virginia's attributes of living.  Our favorites were her never-ending smile, love, infectious laugh, intelligence, humor, kindness, generosity, understanding, and forgiveness.  We will miss her every day.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mary Bridge Pediatric Cardiology or IDF (Immune Deficiency Foundation).

We invite friends to join us in celebrating Virginia's life on Monday, September 26, 2022, at 2:00 pm at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 7410 S 12 ^th St., Tacoma, Washington.