Virginia Jo Suggs Green of Dyersburg died at her home surrounded by family and friends on September 4, 2021. Mrs. Green was 90 years old. She was born in Trion, Georgia on September 3, 1931 to Otis Lee and Susie Anderson Suggs and moved to Chattanooga as a child. After graduating from Chattanooga Central High School, she attended the University of Chattanooga and later worked as a laboratory technician at Erlanger Hospital where she met her husband of 62 years, Dr. James P. Green. They were married in November of 1952 and moved home to Dyersburg in 1956 after Dr. Green's military service.
Mrs. Green was a member of the Dyersburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church, teaching the Crusaders Sunday School class for many years and was past chairman of the Bontheo Circle. She was actively involved in Girl Scouts and multiple charitable organizations including the Dyersburg Cotillion Club and Dyersburg Union Mission Auxiliary where she oversaw bake sales and summer camps.
"Mama Jo" was fundamentally motivated by her love for her family, her close-knit circle of friends and her adopted home town. She was a veteran of countless Good Earth Garden Club and Thursday Afternoon Bridge Club meetings for 45 years plus innumerable family get-togethers for which she invariably cooked too much. She was kind and generous and lived a Christian life. She will be missed by many.
She was preceded in death by her husband James P. Green, D.D.S. and sisters Jerry McKinney and Kay Goldfeder. She is survived by her son James P. Green, Jr., daughter Elaine Green Woods, M.D. (William), grandsons Samuel Green Woods (Erin) and William Parker Woods (Phylinda) and great-granddaughters Zella Woods and Dali Woods.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at noon at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. with interment at Fairview Cemetery immediately thereafter. Dyersburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Pallbearers are Jerry Edwards, John Ford, Jim Hamilton, John Hamilton, Rob Kerr and Jimmy Moody. Memorials may be made to Samaritan's Purse, St. Jude Children's Research Center or a charity of choice.
