Virginia Harris Beare, born May 9, 1916 passed away on February 29, 2008. She was a much loved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother.

Virginia was born to Lanier and Eugenia Clegg Harris in Saint Louis, Missouri. She lived most of her life in San Antonio, Texas where she grew up with her brothers, Lanier and Joe. She graduated from Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1933 and attended college at the former Westmoreland College in San Antonio. She married Hubert W. Beare “Hub” on November 23, 1935. She helped her husband with ABC Moving and Transfer Company, a business that they owned for 30 years. She was also active with Boy Scout Troop 358 for over 20 years with Hub and for five years after his death. She received the St. George’s Medal for service to scouting in the Episcopal Church.

She was a great lover of cats and other animals. Over the years, she cared for and loved close to 30 cats and dogs. She also loved exploring her family history and was a great genealogist and recorded much of her family’s history which included many survivors of the Civil War whom she loved to read about. After all of her children left home, Virginia started writing for the South Side Reporter in San Antonio in 1970. She continued writing for this paper until she left San Antonio in December 1997. She then began writing for the Blanco County News in March 1999 and continued writing until her death. She was a member of the San Antonio Historical Society, the Order of the Sons of Hermann, and Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Order 3932.

Virginia was very active in the Episcopal Church and was a member of St. Stephen’s in San Antonio for 51 years serving on the altar guild and as the church’s organist. When she moved to Blanco 10 years ago, she became a member of St. Michael’s and All Angels. She was a member of the Order of St. Luke and the Daughters of the King.

She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Hubert William Beare, Jr. (Margaret), Betty Jo Gunn Rust (P.C.), Margie Anne Thayer (Bert). She is also survived by her grandchildren and their spouses, Don Broyles (Gina), Wayne Broyles (Christy), Karoline Gebert, William Petty, Lara Beare, Paul Thayer (Elizabeth), Peter Thayer (Melinda), Nathaniel Matthew Thayer, Tabitha Bomer (Robert). She is survived by her great-grandchildren, Brandy Broyles, Tara Broyles, Thomas Broyles, Ashlin Phillips, Jessica Teal, Jonathan Broyles, Justin Broyles, Virginia Gebert, Paul “Honu” Thayer, Michaela Thayer, Kathryn Thayer, Rhys Thayer. She is survived by her great-great-grandchildren, Cheyenne Broyles, Candice Broyles, and Andrew Pace. She is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces along with many other of her husband’s extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brothers.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 5 at Crofts Funeral Homes, Mesquite at Tenth, Blanco, Texas. The memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 6 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church in Blanco, Texas. The burial will follow on Friday, March 7 at 9:00 a.m. at Mission Burial Park South, 1700 Southeast Military Drive, San Antonio, Texas.

Pallbearers are Albert Thayer, John Harris, Jim Jones, Carl Chandler, Chuck McNallen, Ron Houston, Robert Bomer.

Honorary pallbearers are her grandchildren, Donald Broyles, Wayne Broyles, Karoline Gebert, William Petty, Lara Beare, Paul Thayer, Peter Thayer, Nathaniel Matthew Thayer, Tabitha Bomer and her son-in-law P.C. Rust.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Live Oak Medical Center and the parishioners at St. Michael’s and All Angels for all of the love, support and care that they gave Virginia since her move to Blanco 10 years ago.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations to Saint Michael’s and All Angels Episcopal Church in Blanco, your local Boy Scout organization or to an animal charity of your choice.