Our dear mother has gone home to be with our Lord.

Virginia was born in Portland, Oregon, to Pearl Elizabeth (Trevarthan) Killion and William Edward Killion.

The Killion family moved to Mercer Island, WA when Virginia was two years old. She grew up on a large farm with five sisters and two brothers, she being the youngest child. Being a sustainable farm provided security for the family through the Great Depression years.

Moving to San Diego, CA, at age eighteen, she met and married James Clifford Tinker in 1942. She took on the life of adventure of being a Navy wife.

Widowed at age thirty-five with three children, she moved to Whidbey Island, where she married Walter Earl Thomas. He had two little boys to add to the family. In 1960 Mother gave birth to twin boys. She lovingly raised seven children with wisdom and grace.

Whidbey Island has been her home for more than sixty years. She took time along the way to volunteer at her church and enjoyed working at the gift shop at Whidbey General Hospital. She spent summer canning, and making pies and jams from her garden and fruit trees. Elk hunting in the fall was vacation time for Mother and Dad. She was camp host to family and friends.

Mother’s kind heart and the joy of her family kept her strong. How blessed the family has been to have had her with us for so many years!

Virginia is preceded in death by her loving husbands and one son, Walter (Tom) Thomas. She is survived by her children: Ginny Moshier (George), Jay Tinker, Ed Tinker ( Val), Jim Thomas, Jeff Thomas, Ray Thomas and Susan Thomas. She was blessed with twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Virginia’s family are planning a private celebration of life. The family wishes to express their appreciation for the loving care provided for Mother during her final days at Harbor Towers and Regency Coupeville.