Virginia Ann Statham Dormans

Virginia was born on August 29, 1927, the only child of William Barksdale Statham and Llewellyn (Marshall) Statham of Jackson, Mississippi. Virginia met her husband-to-be, Paul M. Dormans, while he was training in Jackson with the Dutch Air Force. They were married in 1943, just a few months before Paul received orders to ship overseas. Virginia found creative ways during the war to be with, or close to, her husband while he was stationed in Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Biak Island.

When they returned to the States after the war, Paul and Virginia moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, so that Paul could pursue an engineering degree from Indiana Technical College. Virginia worked in retail until the first of their four children was born. Virginia was a dedicated mother and a gifted homemaker. She always took time to take an active role in the schools that her children attended.

Two of Paul's siblings, a brother and a sister, eventually came from Holland to make their homes in Fort Wayne. Virginia (or "Annie" as they called her) found in them and their spouses the siblings she'd never had. She enjoyed filling the role of "Tante Annie" with each of her nieces and nephews.

Virginia was involved in various causes and organizations over the years. She volunteered for many years with the Fort Wayne Christmas Bureau; she served as President of the Forest Park Boulevard Homeowner's Association; she was a faithful member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church; she was a registered member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution); and she volunteered at Crossroads, mentoring girls from troubled or broken homes. Her greatest efforts, however, were reserved for the Christian humanitarian organization, World Vision. Virginia was a long time distributer of World Vision's 'countertop collection loaves', and, with the enthusiastic participation of businesses all across Fort Wayne, she was able to collect tens of thousands of dollars of donations for World Vision's relief programs. To this day, there is no way to know how many children Virginia sponsored on a regular monthly basis through World Vision's Sponsorship Program or how many handwritten letters she penned to those same children. Virginia's hobbies included gardening and Genealogy.

After 67 years of marriage, Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Paul. She is survived by her children, Jacqueline (Frank) Franks, JoEllen Dennis, John Dormans, and David (Tammy) Dormans; nine grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. Virginia will be remembered as a faithful and loving daughter, niece, cousin, wife, mother, sister-in-law, aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother, neighbor, and friend.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1126 S. Barr St., Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior. Burial will be at Lindenwood Cemetery, Fort Wayne. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to World Vision.