Argabright, Josephine Marie
Josephine Marie Argabright, of Newport News, Va., died on Sunday, December 30, 2007. Born September 2, 1914, in Floyd County, Va., to Wade Hampton and Etta May (Basham) Dickerson, she was one of nine children.
Jo grew up on a farm in western Virginia and graduated from Christiansburg High School in 1934, married in 1935, and moved to Newport News in 1938. She became an active member of Morrison United Methodist Church in 1949 in what was then Warwick County and served her church in many capacities. She survived breast cancer in 1965 and became a stylish, private, and determined lady who enjoyed her family and life in spite of her trials and tribulations.
She became an early member of the Home Demonstration Club of Newport News where she developed her skills as a homemaker and seamstress. She loved to tailor clothing for herself and her granddaughters. She also became an accomplished quilter and bowler. She received special recognition for bowling a “620 series” on a senior league when she was 77 years old. She was an avid gardener well into her eighties. Josephine will be missed by her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and husband, James Arden Argabright.
She is survived by her son, Eugene Arden Argabright and his wife, Mary Rena, of York County, Va.; two granddaughters, Leigh Arden and her husband, William C. Barker, of Newport News, Va., and Misty Lynne and her husband, John L. Kiser, of Mechanicsville, Va.; four great-grandchildren, Russell Arden Kiser, Daniel Miles Barker, Rowan Elaine Kiser and Andrew Thomas Barker. She is also survived by extended family, Mary Michelle Bradley, of Ivor, Va.; James R. Dailey, his wife Karen, and Zachary and Kayla LeMasters of Hampton, Va.; as well as six nephews, James H. Dickerson, of Mt. Upton, N.Y., William E. Huff, of Beverly Hills, Fla., Wally Dickerson, of Matawan, N.J., Richard D. Skiermont, of Paxton, Mass., Richard H. Carver, of Wilbraham, Mass., and James W. Epperly, of Christiansburg, Va.; five nieces, Doris Whiticar, of Matthews, Va., Louise Turner, of Roanoke, Va., Margie Volker, of Morganville, N.J., Peggy Glazer, of Port Richie, Fla., and Donna Castellanos, of Clearwater, Fla.; and a special friend, Jack Polick, of Newport News, Va.
Her funeral will be held Thursday, January 3, 2008, at 4 p.m. in the chapel of W.J. Smith & Son Funeral Home with the Rev. Jack Lynch and the Rev. Delia Parrish officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 5, 2008, in Sunset Cemetery, Christiansburg, Va. The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Morrison United Methodist Church, 236 Harpersville Road, Newport News, Va. 23601, or to the American Cancer Society, 11835 Canon Blvd., Suite A102, Newport News, Va. 23606. Arrangements by W.J. Smith & Son Funeral Home, 210 Harpersville Road, Newport News, Va. 23601.