Obituary of Virginia LaRue Head D'Arcy

Virginia LaRue Head D’Arcy, born July 4, 1919 at the family home in Alexander, Texas died Friday, October 25, 2019 at Brookdale Broadway Cityview in Fort Worth. She was 100 years old.LaRue was the daughter of Florence Irene Trice Head and Ellis Gerome Head. She graduated from Paschal High School in 1937. After graduation in 1940 from St. Joseph Hospital’s School of Nursing in Fort Worth, she was employed by the hospital until her enlistment in the United States Army Nurse Corps. She served from 1943 to 1945 with the rank of Second Lieutenant. During this time, she was stationed in Burma and India and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal with one bronze star. At the end of her tour of duty, LaRue returned to Fort Worth.In 1946, she married Royce Herbert D’Arcy, also of Fort Worth. They were married for 69 years and have four surviving children. The family moved briefly to Arlington and then to Palestine, Texas. When they returned to Fort Worth, LaRue resumed her nursing career at St. Joseph Hospital and retired in the late 1960s. She was a member of St. Andrew Catholic Church and served on its Altar Society. She enjoyed her association with St. Joseph’s Nursing Alumni Association; the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Julia Jackson Chapter 141; Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, a local woodcarving group which went camping on a regular basis, and her membership in the African Violet Society. LaRue took pleasure in reading and gardening and continued to garden until advanced age prevented it. She enjoyed genealogy research and especially spending time with her grandchildren and eventually with her great-grandchildren.Preceding her in death were her parents; an infant sister and young brother, Verna Marie and Ellis Glenn Head; her brother, Charles Ray Head; her infant daughter, Mary; and grandson Christopher D’Arcy.Survivors include her children, Diane, and husband Roderick LaGrone, of Denton, Linda, and husband Edward Miles Jr., of Watauga, Susan, and husband William Collins III, of McKinney, and David D’Arcy of Fort Worth; grandchildren include Rick LaGrone and wife Dawnelle, Bob LaGrone, Beth LaGrone Fulton and husband Kenny, Lisa Miles Cochran and husband Matt, Richard Collins, and Cathy Collins; great grandchildren are Kate, Julia, Abby, and Michael LaGrone, Clare, Henry, and Brigid Cochran, and Audrey and Ellie Fulton.The family extends its sincere gratitude to the staff of Westside Caregivers and more recently to the staff of Brookdale Broadway Cityview. And especially to the nurses, caregivers, and chaplains of VITAS Hospice Care for guiding them along this last journey with their mother.