Mrs. Virginia King Smith Coker

“For He shall give his Angels charge over Thee” Psalm 91:11 Virginia King Smith Coker, 95, of Hartsville, SC, passed peacefully in her retirement home in Daleville, VA on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Virginia was born in McCormick, SC, to the late James L. Smith and Odessa King Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Pressly Coker, Jr.; her sons, Andrew Lee Coker and Edward Thomas Coker; Son-In-Law, Mark Virgil Crisman and sister Dorothy Cornelia Smith Pruitt. She is survived by her son, S. Pressly Coker, III and daughter, Virginia Celeste Coker Crisman; grandchildren, S. Pressly Coker, IV, Katherine Lee Coker and Kathleen Susan Coker; their mother, Susan McCall Coker; brother, James L. Smith, Jr. and many nieces and nephews. Virginia loved the written word and was forever a student. She was awarded top honors in high school and excelled academically at Winthrop College. She was chosen as the mezzo soprano in The Winthrop Sextet, a travelling group representing the college. Upon Graduation, she accepted the position of Public School Music Supervisor in the Hartsville School System. She was a member of First Baptist Church for 45 years. While there, she was a member of the choir, performed solo work and soloist for many weddings. She was the teacher for an adult Sunday School class which was a special joy. Virginia and Mr. A.L.M. Wiggins worked together to establish The First Baptist Church Kindergarten where she was Director for 3 years. Later in life, Virginia became a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Virginia’s eye for spotting antiques and the ability to design and create led her to establish Fireside Décor Shoppe which consumed her for 28 years. When she closed Fireside, she threw her energy and interests to collecting and planting Gold Medal peonies and First Prize daylilies numbering in the thousands. Virginia possessed boundless energy and enthusiasm for God’s many gifts. Virginia was invited to become a member of The Thursday Study Club, the second oldest club in SC. She was the longest sustaining member having been in the club for 50 years. Her last paper was entitled: ‘The Development and Execution of the Atomic Bomb’. She resigned in 2021 to move to Virginia to be near her daughter, Celeste. There, she developed a love for watercolor and joked that she might be the next Grandma Moses. Her interests never ceased. Virginia left a legacy of Godly faith. Her grandchildren called her “Gina." A service to honor her life will be held at a later date at First Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her honor to First Presbyterian Church, 213 W. Home Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

Tributes

Mrs. Virginia King Smith Coker

September 16, 2025