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The Lord, in His Infinite wisdom, called Mother Virginia Parrish Lewis into eternal rest on Sunday, March 14, 2021.

Mother Virginia Parrish Lewis of 427 York St., Suffolk, was born December 27, 1940. She was the daughter of the late Margaret Parrish-Claiborne and Eddie Hicks. She was married to the late Jerry Lee Lewis Sr. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Lewis Sr.; daughter, Drucilla Frazier; sisters, Ruth Eloise Harris, Mary Ann Brock, Alice Mae Wilson and Jacqueline Claiborne; brothers, Henry Lee Parrish Sr., Larry Darnell Parrish Sr., Willie James Claiborne and Edward Hicks.

Mother Virginia Parrish Lewis was a member of Heaven on Earth Ministries, serving as the Mother of the Church. She was a long-time member of Faith Temple Ministries Apostolic Church under the leadership of the late Dr. Bishop Obadiah Colander, where she served on the Mothers’ Board, Missionary Board, Prison Ministry, Kitchen Staff, as a soloist, and a Prayer Warrior. She also previously served as Mother of True Word Temple of Faith Church.

She was employed as a cook at Simpsons’ Restaurant, Bunny’s Restaurant for more than 25 years, and as a bus aide for Suffolk Public Schools. Mother Virginia Parrish Lewis was an awesome seamstress, counselor and cook. Her delicious dinner rolls were everyone’s favorite.

She is survived by six daughters, Angie Gilchrist (Elwood) and Paula Copeland (Timothy), of Suffolk, Cynthia Davis (Kenneth), of Franklin, Cora Winborne (Tony), Deborah Nicholson (Reginald) and Stacy Jenkins (Rajuhn), of Suffolk; seven sons, Elvis Parrish Sr., of Chesapeake, Steve Parrish (Synette) and James Parrish, of Hollywood, Fla., Glen Parrish, of Honolulu, Hawaii, Randy Parrish (Tijuana), of Suffolk, Marvin Parrish (Emma), of Franklin, Jerry Lewis Jr. (Sharonda), of Suffolk; brothers, John Parrish Sr. (Virginia), of Smithfield, Earl Parrish and Raymond Parrish (Gwendolyn), of Suffolk, McKinley Jones (Martha) and James Hicks, of Newport News; sisters, Rynetta Little, of Newport News, Florese Bryant (Lamech), of Hampton; son-in law, Melvin Frazier, of North Carolina; sisters-in-law, Theresa Scott, of Portsmouth, Mary Parrish, of Syracuse, N.Y., and FloAnne Hicks, of Hampton, and Florine Hunter, of Suffolk.

She is also survived by 44 grandchildren, 58 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A visitation will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. A funeral service will take place at noon Saturday, March 20, 2021, at Faith Temple Ministries Apostolic Church, and she will be laid to rest at Carver Memorial Cemetery.

Flowers and expressions of sympathy may be extended at www.cookeovertonfuneralhome.com.

Professional funeral services are entrusted to T.E. Cooke-Overton Funeral Home Inc.