Virginia Carey

Virginia Heinze Carey, 86, of Little Rock passed away peacefully on June 28, 2021.  Born in Little Rock, AR, on May 22,1935 to Bernard Heinze and Tofelia Matelski.  She was a retired teacher and a member of Christ the King Catholic Church.

Virginia grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas.  She graduated from Mount Saint Mary Academy in 1953, attended Little Rock Junior College, and graduated from University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1957.

U of A is where she met her husband, Ed. (link to article about their courtship: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/aug/13/over-ice-cream-dates-he-scooped-up-his-/ ).  She and Ed were married for 61 years, with many loving memories, married on August 17, 1957.

Her career started as a kindergarten teacher in Groton, New York, boyhood home of her husband.  They moved back to Little Rock in 1960 after birth of their first child.  Virginia taught school at Joe T. Robinson Elementary, Cloverdale Elementary, and Chicot Elementary.  She received her master’s degree in education in 1978 and was an instructional specialist at both Chicot Elementary and Baker Elementary, retiring in 1994.

Survivors include her daughters, Lisa Carey and Cece McKay (Johnny), of Little Rock; grandchildren, Paul McKay of Brooklyn, New York, and Carey McKay of Little Rock; and a host of other relatives and friends.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Edward Joseph Carey; her parents and her siblings, Bernard Heinze and Mary Frances Eldridge (Bill).

Virginia is best known for her sweetness, contagious smile, and gentle, loving, and selfless spirit as well as her “sweet” tooth.

She loved her family, friends, and had a special fondness for her grandchildren and her students.  She felt blest to have wonderful caregivers and doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.  A special thanks for the loving care and compassion provided by Tanya and Martha; Arkansas Hospice; and Rosemary, Evangeline, and Mary Todd from CHI St. Vincent Health at Home.

DUE TO POWER OUTAGE AT THE CHURCH CHANGE OF VENUE: Visitation will be Friday, July 2 at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Court, Little Rock,  beginning at 6PM, followed by the Rosary at 7PM, led by Deacon Dick Patterson.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Erik Pohlmeier on Saturday, July 3 at 2PM at Christ the King, followed by interment at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Arkansas Hospice ( https://www.arkansashospice.org/donate-online ) or Mount Saint Mary Academy ( http://mtstmary.edu/support-msm/give-now/ )