Biography: Virginia Thompson Brown, age 84, of Little Rock, died Saturday, May 5, 2007, at her home. She was born in 1922 in Concord, New Hampshire, to the late Frances and Willis Duer Thompson. Virginia is survived by her younger sister, Frances Blakney and her husband Gordon of Bow, New Hampshire; and her five children: her sons: Gil Brown and his wife Patty of Searcy, and Joseph Willis Brown and his wife Laurie of Olympia, Washington, and her three daughters: Abigail Whiton Brown of Chicago, Illinois, Sarah Hopkins and her husband Randy, and Josephine Osborne and her husband Jim of Little Rock. Also surviving Virginia are seven grandchildren, Christopher Brown, his wife Gail, and their daughter Daphne of Fordyce, Tracie Bartlett, her husband Chance, and their son Addison of Jonesboro, Josh Brown of Searcy, Elizabeth Hopkins of Dallas, Texas, Catherine Hopkins, Virginia Osborne, and Henry Osborne of Little Rock. Virginia was preceded in death by her dear husband Joseph W. Brown of 50 years, her younger brother, Willis Duer Thompson, III, and her precious granddaughter Frances Laurel Hopkins. Virginia Thompson Brown attended Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts, and Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. At Walnut Hill, Virginia was known as "Higgins". It seemed everyone had a nickname at school, and Virginia decided to give herself one. She chose Higginbotham. She had read this somewhere and thought it sounded very fancy. Eventually it became "Higgins". Higgins stayed with her until she joined the Red Cross. As reported by Mount Holyoke World War II report, Virginia Thompson was a Cryptanalysis for Military Intelligence in Virginia from September 1944 until May 1945. In November, Virginia arrived to the European Theater of Operations to serve the armed forces as an American Red Cross staff assistant. In 1946, Virginia married Joseph Gilroy Cox of Little Rock whom she met in Germany. Mr. Cox died October 27, 1950. Virginia married Joseph W. Brown on February 12, 1952. Virginia loved horseback riding, snow skiing, going to spas, reading, and traveling. She loved volunteering at Dumbarton House in Washington, DC and Gunston Hall in Virginia. She gave wonderful reports about the animals that lived at Gunston Hall: goats, sheep and chickens were her favorites! Virginia lived a long and full life. She was member of Our Lady of Holy Souls Catholic Church, The Little Rock Garden Club, The Junior League of Little Rock, and The Edelweiss Study Club. She was a member and past President of The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in The State of Arkansas. She served on the board of the Arkansas History Commission, the Arkansas Library Commission, and The Friends of the Little Rock Zoo. The family wishes to give a special thanks to the wonderful people who cared for Virginia -Dr David Lipschitz at UAMS Senior Health Center, and her caregivers, Dorothy Braswell, Pearl Thomas, Dorothy Brown, and Waymon Vault. Also Dale and Cheryl Woodall who made her home so neat and clean, and Nina Spears her hairdresser of many years. The family will receive friends 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Monday at the home of Virginia’s daughter, Sarah. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, officiated by Father Jason Tyler. Memorials may be made to The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Arkansas, 129 Normandy Rd., Little Rock, AR, 72207; The Little Rock Garden Club, P.O. Box 7613, Little Rock, AR, 72207; or the Frances L. Hopkins Memorial Foundation Endowment Fund (benefiting the Little Rock Zoo), Regions Trust Dept., P.O. Box 1471, Little Rock, AR 72203. Cremation and service arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home of Little Rock, www.ruebelfunerahome.com.