Virginia Shelton

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Virginia was born on June 13, 1945, to the late Velma (Williams) Gulley and Roosevelt Gulley. She was the fourth of six daughters from this union. January 24, 2022, God picked a beautiful rose out of His garden and called her home to a reunion with her mother, father, and other ancestors.

Virginia accepted Christ at an early age at New Hopewell Baptist Church under the anointing of Rev. P. E. Pierce. She later moved her membership to Friendship Baptist Church where the Rev. G.B. Dunn was the leader of the flock. Both of these outstanding churches were located in Bernice, LA.

Virginia started her educational journey at Elliott High School. When Elliott closed its doors, she completed her quest for learning at Westside High School in Lillie, LA. She was given the distinct honor of being selected as the Salutatorian of the graduating class of 1963.

Virginia was a lifelong learner. She continued her pursuit of higher education at Grambling State University in Grambling, LA. After moving to Berkeley, CA, she continued her quest of learning at Grove Street Junior College but wanted more challenging courses, so she enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley. She obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in English. This all took place while she was working and rearing her two boys who she loved dearly. Virginia was a gifted dancer, loved writing, and was a great speaker. She was a wordsmith and could take you along on a fantastic journey with her words.

After completing her degree, Virginia held many positions in the corporate world. Although she was successful for many years in corporate America, she had a deep passion for uplifting kids and their education. On her journey for this, Virginia began working as Director at Laney College. She embraced this role and made a positive impact on her students as well as her peers. Helping kids achieve their greatest potential was her true passion. Virginia truly lived life to the fullest through the simple pleasures of life. Spending time with her sons and family, going to Blues Festivals, dancing, shopping, cooking, reading, and sharing good times with her friends were a few of her passions.

A celebration of life service for Virginia will be held on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at 11:00 AM at Fuller Funerals, Inc., 3100 Cutting Blvd, Richmond, CA 94806.