Virginia Hawkins Smith Riordan

Virginia Hawkins Smith Riordan, 87, of Dallas died on Saturday, April 9, 2016. She had a glorious adventure in life as a daughter, sister, wife, niece, cousin, aunt, mother, grandmother and friend to many.

Virginia was born into Texas pioneer families in El Paso, Texas on June 22, 1928 to William Walker Hawkins and Gladys Irene Strickland. Virginia was educated in El Paso at the Radford School for Girls, William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and at Southern Methodist University, earning her Master of Arts in Education. She was an alumni of Kappa Alpha Theta.

As a young adult, she and her husband Hight were confirmed in the Episcopal Church, becoming communicants in 1956 of Church of the Incarnation. She was active as Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teachers, attended several Bible study classes, but her ministry for over 40 years was serving on the Altar Guild.

A lifelong learner and avid reader, Virginia began a career as a fourth grade teacher in Richardson ISD and then in Highland Park ISD at Hyer Elementary in 1970. She served as an elementary summer school principal and a demonstration teacher during the summer workshop. In addition, she trained teachers in the Slingerland method of teaching reading. In 1977, she advanced to be the Language Arts Consultant for Highland Park ISD until her retirement in 1989.

Virginia enjoyed traveling to see her children, grandchildren and extended family across the country and in many foreign countries. Journeys included several trips to the the U.K., Italy, Brazil, Mexico, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Greece, Spain and Portugal by land, train, cruise and canal boat.

Survivors are her two daughters, Leslie Smith Fazio of Kingwood, Texas and her husband Sandy Fazio, and Priscilla Smith Owens of Weatherford, Texas and her husband Ed Owens. Her grandchildren include Jennifer, Laura, and Sarah Fazio, all of Houston, Joseph Fazio of Rochester, Minnesota and Timothy Anderson and his wife Lauren of Medford, Oregon. From a large family, she was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, her husband Hight Smith in 1975 and many other relatives.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Avenue, Dallas in the main sanctuary at 11:00 a.m. Parking will be available on McKinney Avenue at on the northeast area of the church of the church property.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in her memory to the Church of the Incarnation, designated to the Altar Guild.