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By Lajean Ray
When Virginia Bynum was born on April 29, 1925, in Wilson, North Carolina, the world was a very different place. Across 100 years of remarkable change, Virginia’s deep love for family, commitment to community, and quiet strength have remained constant.
The youngest of nine children, Virginia grew up in a lively household. She played checkers, pick-up sticks, and hopscotch, and helped her brother sell fishing worms to earn extra spending money. Early on, she developed the work ethic that would guide her life for decades.
After graduating from Garden High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, she began her career as a cashier at a restaurant inside the Old Gold Tobacco Company. In 1950, she married William Bynum, and together they raised two daughters.
Her passion for learning led her to a 25-year career as a reading tutor at the Diagnostic Reading Center, where she helped countless young students develop their reading skills and academic confidence.
Following her husband’s passing, Virginia moved to Cleveland to be closer to her daughters.
She quickly became part of the local community, joining Fatima Family Center’s Silver Threads program and Antioch Baptist Church. Even at 100, she remains active and engaged, spending her days reading, watching television, solving jigsaw puzzles, gardening, bowling, and reflecting on a lifetime of travel across the country and abroad.
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