Edith K. Shields

Gibsonburg- Edith K. Shields, 88, passed away on Sat., May 4, 2019 at Windsor Lane Healthcare Center. She was born on April 30, 1931 in Green Springs Depot, VA to the late George M. and Mildred S. (Suydam) Kennon.

Edith was a graduate of Louisa High School. She continued her education at Longwood College and Old Dominion University where she earned her master’s degree. After graduation, Edith worked as a teacher and administrator for the Virginia Beach Public Schools. She was a charter member of St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Virginia Beach.

She married George B. Shields in Dec. of 1954 in Virginia Beach, VA. Together they shared 44 years until his death on Feb. 2, 1999.

She is survived by her son, Michael (Sara) Shields of Gibsonburg; grandson, Allen Shields; and brothers, Ernest Kennon of Orange, VA, and Harry Kennon of Charlottesville, VA.

She is preceded in death by her husband, George; and siblings, George Kennon, Richard Kennon, and Phyllis Bailey.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Herman-Veh Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gibsonburg. Burial will be held at Quantico National Cemetery, 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019. Guest will meet at the Quantico Admin Building at 12:30 p.m.

Edith Shields was a member of the "Greatest Generation" having been born on 4/30/1931 in the tiny town of Green Springs Depot, Virginia.

Mom grew up, along with herself, parents and four brothers and a sister, on a little homestead in Green Springs, VA. They lived in an old farm house that lacked running water but did have a potbellied stove for heat. The house sat at the top of a hill and down the hill was a little stream that was partially fed by a spring, which was the family water source. To get the water you had to haul it up the steep hill to the house. You can imagine the effort of getting bath water for eight people.

If I want pork chops, I go to the store and buy them, if mom wanted pork chops some of the neighbors were called over and a pig was slaughtered------not quite as convenient as going to the store. Grandma Kennon would make cobbler for the family, provided the kids went out and picked the berries needed for it.

Clothes? Better learn how to sew. There was also a roughly one-mile walk down a dirt road to get to a paved road where the school bus stop was.

There were some good times though. I can remember mom telling me how she and her younger brother Harry would go out and look for German soldiers who were undoubtedly hiding in the woods. God help those evil NAZI bastards if they were caught.

With the exception of a partial athletic scholarship to Longwood College and a Pitt Scholarship, mom was given nothing in material terms and had to work hard for everything she had. Mom enjoyed a long career with the Virginia Beach Public Schools system and was well respected enough as an educator that when VBPS decided to open a Career Development Center and Center for Effective Learning for at risk students, she was one of 5 people selected to get those facilities up and running. She earned a Master’s Degree in Education and was a few credit hours shy of a second Masters in math.

While none of us walk on water, mom did her best and was considered one of the pillars of the community. Good bye mom....and thank you.