Virl Hobson, 98, of Norris passed away peacefully on October 24, 2024.  Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 2 at Holley Gamble Funeral Home; visitation at 12:30, service at 1:30. Internment immediately following at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens.

Virl was the third of seven children born to C.M. and Elizabeth Johnson in Loudon, TN.  The Great Depression forged in that family a strong sense of resilience, adaptability, faith and humor, characteristics that remained evident through Virl's long life.  Following her high school graduation, with World War II raging, Virl was hired by Tennessee Eastman as a calutron operator supporting the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge.  She is pictured in the iconic photograph taken by Ed Westcott, seated lower left at a cubicle with other "Calutron Girls".  At the war's end, she attended Draughn's Business College and returned to Y-12's purchasing department.

While living in Oak Ridge, she met and married Jack Hobson.  They moved to Norris in 1955, welcomed two daughters, and Virl became a full-time homemaker until Jack's untimely death in 1964. She would rely on those childhood-forged characteristics as a young widow and single mom. She soon returned to a secretarial position at K-25, retiring from there with 30 years of service.

In her retirement years Virl assumed the role of devoted Grandmother, honing adaptability and her sense of humor as she shepherded grandchildren to church, provided after-school care, and for many years hosted family holiday and birthday gatherings.

Resilience, adaptability, faith and humor were never more evident than while facing the challenges of ageing.  Undiminished by Alheimer's, Virl's ready smile and whispered "thank you" will be an enduring legacy to her family and caregivers.

In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by brothers G. Benton Johnson and Jim Johnson; sisters Thelma Alexson, Mary Annis Arnwine and Faye Conover.  She is survived by her sister, Pat Green; daughters Karen Angel (Richard), Melinda Beach (Chuck); grandchildren Alicia Bell (Brad), Kari Heuer (Mike), Joseph Angel (Miriam), Melissa Gerard (Lou), Brooke Johnson (David); twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandaughters.

Please make any memorial donations to First Baptist Church, Norris, TN or the Alzheimer's Association.

Virl's family expresses sincere gratitude for the loving care provided by The Lantern at Morning Pointe and Gentiva