Mary Virginia Howell Christopher – a Registered Nurse in Army Nurse during World War II, New Orleans, Louisiana – passed away on 6 April 2020 due to COVID-19. Mary was 97 years old.
Mary Virginia was born in Talladega, Alabama on May 24, 1922 and was the descendant of some of the first early 19th century settlers in Talladega County.
Upon graduation from High School, she traveled to New Orleans to attend the Mather School of Nursing at Baptist Hospital from 1940 to 1943.
After becoming a Registered Nurse, she enlisted in the military in January 1944 and was deployed in 1945 to the European Theater, serving as part of the 134th Evacuation Hospital, which replaced the 51st Field Hospital, where she was ultimately promoted to 1st Lieutenant, Chief Nurse, and participated in the Rhineland Central European Campaign.
She was scheduled to deploy to the Pacific Theater when WWII abruptly ended and she returned to the United States, leaving active duty in 1946. After completing reserve duty, she was honorably discharged in September of 1952.
Source: Legacy