A funeral service for Virginia Ruth Abernathy will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 5, 2021 in the chapel of Downs Funeral Home with Bro. Craig Evers officiating the service. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00p.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021  at Downs Funeral Home.

Virginia Ruth Knight was born in Marshall, Texas was on October 27, 1944 to Randall Knight and Mildred Powell Knight. Mrs. Abernathy passed away on January 1,2021 in Marshall, Texas.  She married William Abernathy on December 25, 1963 and they celebrated almost 56 years of marriage before his death in 2019. She was a homemaker who loved being a mother and grandmother.  She also enjoyed working on ceramics.

Mrs. Abernathy is survived by her children, Billy Abernathy and wife, Hazel, Jeanie Kuhn, Velinda Swan and husband, Dennis,, Walter Abernathy and wife, Connie, Austin Abernathy and wife, Theresa, Justin Abernathy; grandchildren, Tiffany Ford and husband, Joseph (Bo), Patrick Abernathy, William Doss, Kaitlin Walker, Dylan Abernathy, Peyton Abernathy; great-grandchildren, John Humphries III, Colton Gregory, Tamra Ainsworth, Kayla Ainsworth, Grace Ford, Zoie Ford, Bo Ford and Ricky Ford. Also left to cherish Mrs. Abernathy's memories are numerous nieces, nephews and other family and friends.

Mrs. Abernathy is preceded in death by her husband, William Abernathy; her parents, Randall and Mildred Knight; her brother, Robert Knight and wife, Doris; and grandson, Logan Abernathy.