Virginia Jones Price

Longtime Langley businesswoman and South Whidbey civic leader Virginia Jones Price, 76, passed away early Friday, July 21, following a sudden stroke.

Virginia was born in Seattle on Oct. 24, 1929, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1947. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature from the University of Washington in 1951 and was a member of the women’s fraternity Zeta Tau Alpha.

Upon her marriage to Charlton R. Price in 1952, she moved to New York City, and while there became the godmother of the late actor Christopher Reeve.

The couple then moved to Topeka, Kan. After a divorce in 1965, Virginia brought her four children to south Whidbey Island and settled on Maxwelton Beach.

She owned Jones’ Department Store in Langley from 1965 to 1991, first with her mother Matilda Jones for 17 years, and then with her daughter Helen Price Johnson for nine years.

She was a member of a politically active family: her father, Vincent F. Jones, served two terms on the Shoreline School Board, and was mayor of Langley for eight years; her mother served in the Washington State Legislature; her daughter Helen has been active in several political campaigns and is currently serving her second term on the South Whidbey School Board.

“Our mother taught us to respect participatory democracy and the value of being true to oneself,” said her son, Evan.

Virginia actively supported many South Whidbey school, civic, and professional organizations. She was a charter member and the 1995 Woman of the Year of the South Whidbey Business and Professional Women and the first president of the League of Women Voters of South Whidbey (for whom she moderated many “candidate night” forums with notable ability).

She also served as president of the Langley Chamber of Commerce, Maxwelton Community Club, Scatchet Head Community Club, South Whidbey PTSA, Music Boosters of South Whidbey, and the South Whidbey Historical Society. In addition, she served on the Langley United Methodist Church Council, the South Whidbey Boy Scout Troop 57 Committee, and, in 1980s Langley, was a member of the notorious Doghouse Women’s Motorcycle Club For The ERA.

Virginia is survived by her brother, Lyle V. Jones, of Pittsboro, N.C.; four children, Reed V. Price (Jennifer) of Bainbridge Island, Helen Price Johnson (David) of Clinton, Curtis V. Price (Bethany) of Rapid City, S.D., Evan J. Price of Olympia; and eleven grandchildren.

Her children, family and friends will greatly miss her sense of humor, her devotion to her family, and the intellect, compassion, integrity, and style she demonstrated in all aspects of her life.

A memorial service will be held in late August. Please contact Langley United Methodist Church or Visser Funeral Home for more information.

Memorial donations may be made to the South Whidbey Historical Society, PO Box 612, Langley, WA, 98260.