IRVINGTON—Marguerite “Margie” Odom Bashore, 97, of Irvington died peacefully on Monday, January 23, 2023.
She was born in Valdosta, Ga., on January 5, 1926, to Marguerite Shafer and John Robert Odom and was the cherished and only daughter in a big family of brothers. Her family moved to Whaleyville when she was a young child and that provided a lifetime of stories she loved to remember and share.
She received her nursing degree from Norfolk General Hospital during World War II and became a registered nurse. Being a nurse gave her life meaning and purpose. In 1946, she married James Brooks Johnston Jr. They lived in Norfolk, where they welcomed four children.
In the mid 1950s, Margie and her children moved to the Eastern Shore of Virginia where she was the head of the blood bank at the Nassawadox Hospital and met her second husband, Henry Ward Bashore. They had two children and moved to Kilmarnock in 1960.
Between then and her retirement at the age of 75, she worked in several medical offices and at RGH. She is remembered most fondly by many for her generous service at Dr. A.B. Gravatt’s medical office, where she helped deliver many babies along with her other nursing duties.
Margie was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock, where she served on the altar guild, the Vestry and other committees. She never missed a Shrine Mont Retreat weekend. One thing that was very important to her was the “Community Lenten Services” which began 60 years ago to promote racial harmony through worship.
She helped with establishing hospice services in Lancaster County and was a hospice volunteer caring for those who were dying. She volunteered for the Red Cross in their blood drives for many years. She also was a volunteer at the Free Health Clinic and RGH.
She moved to Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury in 2011, where she loved visiting with her friends, yoga, strength and balance, being on the health committee and playing Rummikub several times a week. Her family would like to send great thanks to the wonderful staff at RWC, whom she loved dearly.
Margie is survived and beloved by her six children, Susanne J. Boatwright (Bob) of Bellingham, Washington, James Brooks Johnston III, (Nancy) and Carol J. Burke (Frank) of White Stone, Victoria J. Feldstein (Joseph) of Centennial, Colorado, Benjamin O. Bashore (Karin) of East Calais, Vermont, and Elizabeth F. Bashore of Woodside, California; one stepdaughter, Shonie B. Parrett of Colora, Maryland; eight grandchildren, Anne Davila, Victoria J. Freeborne (Chad), Jay Johnston (Nicole), Suzanna Garrett (Walter), Joseph Burke (Sara), James Burke (Melissa), Colleen Hopkins (Haden), and Thomas David-Bashore; eight stepgrandsons, Mark Ritchey, Andy Ritchey, James, Richard, Randall and Jason Parrett, Robert and Tony Bashore; 13 great-grandchildren; a brother, Henry Hunter Odom of Suffolk and devoted nieces Marguerite Haus, Mary Odom, Beth Cheatham and nephew, Hunter Odom.
Memorial services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 28, at Grace Episcopal Church, Kilmarnock with The Reverend Kim Glenn officiating.
Memorials may be made in Margie’s honor to the Northern Neck Audubon, P.O. Box 991, Kilmarnock, VA 22482; or NN/Middlesex Free Health Clinic, P.O. Box 1694, Kilmarnock.
