HANCOCK,
Patricia Ann Bagley Hancock went into the arms of her Lord and Savior on January 7, 2021. She was the daughter of the late Waverly Bagley and Patsy Hardie Bagley, and the devoted wife of Herman Bryce Hancock of Victoria from 1961 until his death in 2018. Survivors include her daughter, Tamela Ann Hancock Murray (John) of Northern Virginia, two granddaughters, Jill Ha (Joel) of South Korea, and Ann Murray of Northern Virginia. She is also survived by two brothers, Eldridge Bagley (Beth) and Grayson Bagley (Nancy), of Lunenburg County. Born during the January blizzard of 1940, Ann was welcomed to a loving home on a family farm with no electricity or running water, where they lived as a new house was being built by the Bagley brothers. This home anchors the Bagley homeplace today. Bred from a hale and hardy line of feisty women, Ann graduated from Kenbridge High School and then completed coursework at Petersburg General Hospital to become a Registered Nurse. After settling in Victoria with her new husband, she worked at local hospitals. She served for many years as a caring and compassionate private duty nurse for patients with prominent names. Later, she was an exceptional and respected nurse at Heritage Hall nursing home in Blackstone, Virginia, working there for 28 years until her retirement. Doctors who partnered with her still offer her well-earned praise, and she formed genuine friendships with her coworkers and a number of the patients’ family members. Among her joys was a philodendron plant from a patient, which she nurtured for well over thirty years. Ann loved animals and always owned what she called a “sooner” rescue dog, meaning that the dog would just as soon be one breed as another. A childhood story illustrates her love of animals. Suffering from rheumatic fever at the age of twelve, she enjoyed seeing her pet nanny goat, Snowflake, from her window. One day, her daddy sold Snowflake to Willis Cage, who planned to cook goat stew. Ann was so upset by this that her daddy repurchased Snowflake. Ann loved parties and was known for her amazing New Year’s Day celebrations featuring a humongous spread of food she prepared herself. She was known for her homemade Shrimp Cocktail sauce, Swedish Meatballs, and Sea Leg Salad. Every day of the year, her phone rang off the hook with calls from a myriad of friends and family members. She did state a preference for receiving no calls during her favorite TV program, Wheel of Fortune. Anyone who knew Ann loved her for her countless wonderful qualities, including warmth, honesty, and kindness. She always told her daughter, “Be true to yourself.” She followed her own advice. Those who were close to her now have an Ann-shaped hole in their hearts, a place that Ann filled with eternal love and undying support. Ann’s family would like to offer heartfelt thanks to the many local people who offered their assistance as she struggled to live independently after her husband’s death. Your kindness will never be forgotten. Because of the pandemic, services will be private. Those who would like to remember Ann are welcome to contribute to one of the following:

Thrift’s Chapel United Methodist Church
Mr. Charles Palmer, Treasurer
310 Red Banks Road
Victoria, Virginia 23974

ASPCA
Victoria Rescue Squad

Staples Funeral Home, Victoria in charge of arrangements.