Virginia L. Khoury's Obituary
Virginia L. Khoury
Virginia Louise Khoury died at her home in Longview on Thursday, December 15, 2005. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 19, 2005 at Saint Anthony Catholic Church, 908 E. Olive St., Longview with The Most Reverend Sam G. Jacobs, Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana and cousin of Virginia Khoury; and The Reverend Monsignor Gerald A. Priest officiating. Interment will be at Rosewood Park Cemetery, 1944 F.M. 1844, Longview. A Rosary Prayer Vigil will be recited at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, December 18, 2005 at the Rader Funeral Home chapel, 1617 Judson Rd., Longview with Deacon Bill Bridwell officiating. Following the rosary, the family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Born in Bzebdine, Syria now Lebanon on April 3, 1912, Virginia was the oldest daughter of Louis and Hafeeza Shaheen. After immigrating to the United States in 1920 through Ellis Island, New York, she and her family settled in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where she was educated in Catholic schools and worked in the family grocery store.
In 1933, Virginia met Dr. Sam George Khoury, who practiced medicine in Longview and Shreveport, Louisiana, and they were married in Bossier City, Louisiana on December 10, 1933. Following their marriage, Virginia and Sam settled in Longview, where they would live the rest of their lives. Their first child, Richard Allen Khoury, was born in 1935, followed by Alvin George Khoury and Betty Virginia Khoury.
Affectionately known as ?Me Maw? to her family, Virginia was an avid cook and gardener who was renowned for her homemade pralines and prized tomatoes. She was also a lifelong and avid fisherman, and she enjoyed playing bridge. She was active in a number of charitable, civic and religious organizations throughout her life, serving as a member of the American Legion Post #140 Auxiliary, founding member of the Gregg County Medical Auxiliary and Longview Charity League, charter stockholder of Cherokee Water Company, member of Pinecrest Country Club, local chair of the Helen Hayes National Milk Fund Program for Schoolchildren, president of the PTA and Cub Scout den mother. A lifelong Catholic, she was a parishioner at Saint Anthony Catholic Church, Longview for more than 70 years, where she served as a member of the Altar Society and Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court #1139.
While Virginia devoted much of her life to her family, hobbies and civic work, she also served as administrator of the Khoury Hospital in Longview while her husband Sam served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Virginia is survived by her younger son, Judge Alvin Khoury and his wife, Dorothy; and her daughter, Betty Khoury Falco, all of Longview; her grandchildren, Richard A. Khoury, Jr. of Hallsville, Deborah Khoury Jones of San Antonio, Charles E. Falco and Samuel M. Khoury, both of Longview, David R. Falco of Kilgore, Andrew G. Khoury of Longview, Alvin Gregory Khoury of San Antonio; ten great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson. Other survivors include her sister, Theresa Shaheen Boudreaux and her husband, James J. Boudreaux; and brother-in-law Bill Tanous, all of Lake Charles, Louisiana; sister-in-law Sara Pat Shaheen of DeQuincy, Louisiana; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and her beloved Shih Tzu, Rocky. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Dr. Sam G. Khoury; her older son, Richard Allen Khoury; her parents, Louis and Hafeeza Shaheen; her brothers, Edward Shaheen and Dr. Harry L. Shaheen; and her sister Mary Shaheen Tanous.
Honorary pallbearers are James J. Boudreaux, Bill Bridwell, James Cravens, Dr. Dan Jones, Fred Monsour, Jamie Sharp, Bill Tanous, Dr. A.G. Thomas and Dr. Tommy Thomas.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:
Heart?sWay Hospice of Northeast Texas, 1306 Pine Tree Rd., Longview, TX 75604, 903 295-1680, 800 371-1016;
Longview Catholic School Endowment Fund, 405 Hollybrook Dr., Longview, TX 75605, 903 753-1657; or
St. Jude Children?s Research Hospital, 501 Saint Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105, 800 873-6983, www.stjude.org/tribute.
The family of Virginia Khoury wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the following individuals for their compassionate efforts and care: Drs. Dan Jones, Rick Earnest, Lawrence Roe, Robert Sansom and their staff at Internal Medicine Association of Longview; LaWanda Gonerway, Janice Johnson and Pam Miller; and the staff of Heart?sWay Hospice.
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