Virginia (Upchurch) Dowden

HITCHCOCK – Mrs. Virginia Dowden passed away at the age of 85 on March 23, 2026, in La Marque.

Linda, who went by Virginia most of her life, was born June 23, 1940, in Iola, Texas. She was a wonderful mother to her 4 children, making sure they never went without. Virginia was proud to have been one of the first women hired on at Amoco as an operator. While working full time and going back to get her education, she never skipped a beat at being a loving and supportive mother. In her younger years she loved bowling and played in a bowling league. She moved on to enjoying bingo, playing cards with her family, which was always dealers choice, and more recently, enjoyed working on jigsaw puzzles. Virginia was a strong roll model for her family and we’re grateful to have had her for 85 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Ruby (Lucas) Upchurch; husband, Hubert Dowden; sister, Mildred Dickerson; sons-in-laws, Alan Oberg and Harold Moody.

Survivors include her children, Kathy Moody, Debbie Parsons and husband, Victor, James Patterson and wife, Mimi, Kelly Oberg and husband, Matthew Littleton; sister, Loretta Gould; grandchildren, Christopher Moody, Jason Moody, Jay Rife, Jordan Rife, Jonathan Rife, Eric Patterson, Kevin Patterson, Keith Patterson, Jennifer Oberg, Matthew Oberg; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation with the family will be from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. followed by a funeral service at 12:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2026, in the chapel of Hayes Funeral Home, 10412 Highway 6, Hitchcock, Texas, with Pastor Joshua McDonald officiating. Interment will follow at Galveston Memorial Park.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Chris Moody, Jason Moody, Matthew Oberg, Jay Rife, Jonathan Rife and Jordan Rife.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the staff of Nova Hospice and Bayou Pines Care Center. Special recognition goes to her nurse, Brittany Peterson, for the love, compassion and dedicated care she provided to Granny.

Memorials in the form of donations may be made in Virginia’s name to Sisters Helping Sisters, Post Office Box 9045, Bacliff, Texas 77518.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Virginia (Upchurch) Dowden, please visit our floral store.