Obituary of Virginia Bingham

Virginia Ruth (Perryman) Bingham, a loving daughter and sister, devoted wife, incomparable mother and true friend, known for her independence and strength, her generous and sweet spirit, her love of country, family, history, literature, beauty and service to others, passed away at her home January 5, 2011 at age 83. Born September 21, 1927 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the eldest child of Joe Day and Golda May Perryman, Virginia and her family soon moved to Oxford, Alabama where she and her four siblings were shaped by the challenges of the Great Depression. When Virginia was 12 years old, the family returned to Tulsa where she attended Riley Elementary and Roosevelt Junior High before graduating in 1946 from Tulsa Central, a school she loved throughout her life. An excellent student, Virginia highly valued learning and education, a priority she later instilled in her children. Virginia married her childhood sweetheart, Tom Bingham on March 15, 1947 upon his return from combat in the South Pacific. Through determination, hard work and sacrifice, the couple provided a home, security, education, and most of all, love for their three children. Widowed in 1972 after 25 years of marriage, Virginia's resolve to see her children through college was matched only by her courage to move forward on her own, mixing a recipe for life that included hard work, family, friends, church, travel, gardening and reading. The not so secret ingredient of Virginia's life, however, was sharing her gift of southern hospitality, cooking and entertaining, making a meal an event and treasured memory for the people she loved. If success can be measured as simply as Frank Capra's conclusion that "No man is a failure who has friends," Virginia Bingham was truly a most successful and remarkable woman who will be held dear and loved always by many. Before retiring after 21 years of service at Amoco, Virginia worked as a secretary at Dupont, Tuloma Oil Company and First National Bank. In recent years, Virginia volunteered every Tuesday at Boston Avenue Methodist Church where she was a member. Pre-deceased by her husband Thomas Emanual Bingham and brother, Charles Leon Perryman, Virginia is survived by her children, Donna Elaine Bingham, Thomas Mitchell Bingham, Susan Bingham Neal and husband Rick Neal, grandsons Joseph Thomas Neal and Jackson Bingham Neal, sister Betty Jo Lowery, all of Tulsa, and brothers, Francis Harmon Perryman of Prue, OK, and Jimmy Donald Perryman of Sapulpa, OK. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 pm Monday at Ninde Brookside Funeral Home, 39th and South Peoria Ave. Funeral services will be 1:00 pm Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at Boston Avenue Methodist Church. The family expresses its lasting gratitude to Virginia's many friends; to her tireless and compassionate caregivers, Vicky and Hazel; to the sweet nursing staff at Miller Hospice; and to Miller's partner in aid and comfort, CareSource. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Boston Avenue Methodist Church, 1301 South Boston Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119.