Virginia Rector Obituary

Virginia Rector

July 10, 2025

Virginia Rector passed away on Thursday, July 10th after an extended illness. A native of Minneapolis, Kansas Virginia was the daughter of the late Louis Chaput and Reva Owen Chaput.

She graduated from Minneapolis High School in 1959 and immediately went to work for the Credit Bureau in Salina, Kansas where she met the love of her life, Ray Rector. They married in 1964 and then moved to East Tennessee and settled in Sulphur Springs. Virginia was a career woman and worked in a variety of places. She first worked at J. Fred Johnsons in Kingsport. She then worked at North Electric (later ITT) in Gray. When the plant relocated, she helped with the transition and then she moved on to Mass Mutual and ultimately Harris-Tarkett where she retired. Virginia and Ray loved to travel. As a result, they visited all 50 states, 25 countries, were members of the Polar Bear Club, and hiked portions of the AppalachianTrail.

Virginia was very artistic and expressed herself through photography and poetry. She never told anyone outside of her immediate family, but she won several national awards and competitions for her writing and her photographs.

Ray and Virginia both loved spending time with their family. One of their favorite activities was to host the annual Rector "Weiner Roast" and be surrounded by their close friends and family.

Those left to remember and love Virginia are her daughters Melody (Russell); Michelle (Mark); her Granddaughters Heather and Brittany (Jesse) and her Great Grandchildren Tiffany, Brooke, Dylan, Irene, and Raylee.

Virginia wanted her life, and even her death to matter. So, like her husband Ray, her body was donated to the Quillen College of Medicine for study so that students could benefit and learn more about how to treat those with Glaucoma, Alzheimers, and other illnesses. Consequently, a service honoring both of their lives will be held at a later date.