A graveside and memorial service was held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Mars Hill Cemetery near Sweatman for Virginia Blakely Rocha, 96, who died in the presence of her family members at Oxford on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Mrs. Rocha was born in Montgomery County and lived some of her earlier years in Jackson, Los Angeles, and Atwood, Ill. She settled into her loving home and flower gardens in beautiful Red Hill, Mississippi.
She worked for many years at the Hosiery Mill (Pennaco Hosiery), Grenada Office Supply and retired from working at Arnold’s Furniture Store in Grenada, where she never met a stranger.
Mrs. Rocha was a member of the Gore Springs Methodist Church. She first joined the faith as a small child, loving to go to the Mars Hill Methodist Church with her grandmother Anna Bet Collins of Duck Hill.
She loved her home place in Red Hill and spent many hours working in the yard with her flowers, feeding her birds and watching and waiting for her beautiful crepe myrtles to bloom.
Mrs. Rocha is preceded in death by her husband, Frank Rocha and by her parents, Shed H. Blakely and Lena Bell Collins Blakely of Red Hill; and her sister, Vivian Dixon and brother Terrell Blakely, both of Red Hill. She was also preceded in death by her second husband, CJ (Bill) Thompson.
She is survived by her children, Rodney Rocha of Fayetteville, Ga., Ricky Rocha of Ridgeland and Randy Rocha and wife Shannon of Germantown, Tenn.; sisters, Mamie Bell Fowler and Yvonna Threadgill of Red Hill; and brothers, Joe Max Blakely of Gore Springs and Jack Blakely of Red Hill. and nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. She was blessed by having many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
The family held a private funeral service in the Chapel of McKibben and Guinn Funeral with the Rev. Rick Shepherd of Grace Methodist Church officiating.
If desired, memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association: https://act.alz.org/site/Donation
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada.
