Dr. Virginia R. Jarratt, 82, of Beaumont, died Saturday, June 17, 2006 at Collier Park Retirement Center.
Virginia Reeves Jarratt was born in the small town of Mooringsport, Louisiana, but the family moved to Timpson, Texas, where the six siblings (3 boys and 3 girls), grew up. It was a closely-knit family unit with strong family values, characterized by love, respect, consideration for each other, and a sense of family unity. Being the youngest of the six children had no adverse effects on Virginia’s leadership abilities as evidenced by a myriad of advanced educational achievements and honors during her distinguished career in the field of nursing education. She also was an Ensign having served in the United States Navy.
Dr. Virginia Jarratt, past Dean of the College of Nursing and Professor of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, is a nationally acclaimed leader in nursing education. Her career has included clinical practice in medical-surgical nursing, administrative responsibilities as supervisor of medical-surgical and obstetrical nursing services, and over thirty years as a nursing educator.
Dr. Jarratt received her Diploma in Nursing from the John Sealy College of Nursing and earned advanced degrees from the University of Minnesota, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and the University of Texas at Austin. She was Dean of the College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences until her retirement in 1989. Prior to coming to the University of Arkansas, she served as Dean at Texas Christian University for over twelve years.
Dr. Jarratt was very active in various professional organizations and held many leadership positions. She was president of the National League for Nursing and president of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. She served on the Committee on Awards of the National League for Nursing Board of Directors, the Appeals Committee, Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, National League for Nursing Advisor to the National Student Nurses’ Association.
After Virginia retired she moved to Nacogdoches Texas in 1989. She was an active citizen of the community for several years before moving to Beaumont, Texas in 2000. Declining health dictated her moving to a retirement home in 2002 where she resided until her passing in June 2006.
Virginia was her own person until her demise. She clung to her independence until the very end and left this life without prolonged suffering or overburdening of those dear to her. The final act played out as she would have cast it. As her self-chosen theme song says, “I did it my way”.
Survivors include her nephews, Dr. Jim Love and his wife Judy of Beaumont, B.J. Cadenhead and his wife Marina of Snellville, Georgia and Charles Cadenhead and his wife Sherry of Irving; nieces, Anne Pettit and her husband Bill of Nacogdoches and Linda Alexander and her husband Mike of Coppell, Texas.
A memorial mass will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 8, 2006 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nacogdoches. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2508 Appleby Sand Road, Nacogdoches, Texas 75965.
CURRICULIM VITA
VIRGINIA JARRATT, R.N., PH.D.
Dean and Professor of Nursing Emeritus
College of Nursing
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas
ACADEMIC POSITIONS AND PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCES:
Dean and Professor of Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, December 1, 1979--January 1, 1989
Dean and Professor of Nursing, Harris College of Nursing, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, 1967—1979
School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, Associate Professor of Nursing (Medical-Surgical; Nursing Service Administration), 1959-1965
School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, Assistant Professor, 1957-1958
Teaching and Administrative Supervisor, Tuberculosis Units, Veterans Administration Hospital, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1956-1957
Head Nurse and Staff Nurse, Medical-Surgical Units, Veterans Administration Hospital, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1953-1954
Clinic-Office Nursing, Dan R. Bussey Clinic, Timpson, Texas, 1951-1953
Supervisor, Panola County Hospital, Carthage, Texas, 1950-1951
Supervisor, Obstetrical Nursing, Centinela Hospital Inglewood, California, 1946-1948
Ensign, U.S. Navy Nurse Corps, 1945-1946
Head Nurse, Medical-Surgical Units, John Sealy Hospital, Galveston, Texas, 1943-1945
PROFESSIIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, OFFICES, AND CHAIRMANSHIPS:
Offices and Committee Chairmanships:
Chairman, Scholarships Awards Committee, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs, National League for Nursing, 1985-1987
President, National League for Nursing, 1983-1985
President-Elect, National League for Nursing, 1981-1983
Chairman, Public Affairs Committee, National League for Nursing, 198 1-1983
President, Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, 1979-1980
Vice-President, Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, 1978-1979
Second Vice-President, National League for Nursing, 1977-1979
Chairman, Convention Program Advisory, Executive Committee, National League for Nursing, 1975-1977
Chairman, Executive Committee, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs and Member of the Board, National League for Nursing, 1975-1977
Executive Committee, National League for Nursing, 1967- 1979; 1973-1975
Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee, Study of Open Curriculum and Career Option in Nursing, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs in Nursing, National League for Nursing, 1968- 1970
Board of Directors, Fort Worth Division, Texas Heart Association, 1969
Second Vice-President, Texas Nurses Association, 1969-1971; Board of Directors,
1964-1966
Member:
Committee on Awards of the NLN Board of Directors, 1988-1989
Appeals Committee, Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, 1987-1989,
1989-1992
National League for Nursing Advisor to National Student Nurses Association, 1987-1989
Nominating Committee, National League for Nursing, 1985-1987
Educational and Research Work Groups, 2nd Year National Commission on Nursing Implementation Project, 1986-1987
Dean’s Committee, VA Hospitals, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Department of Medicine, 1983-1989
Advisory Committee, Arkansas SREB--W.K. Kellogg Nursing Project, 1979-1981
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
National League for Nursing; Arkansas League for Nursing
American Nurses’ Association; Arkansas Nurses! Association
Collegiate Nursing Council, Southern Regional Education Board
Evaluation Panel--Demonstration Phase of SREB Nursing Curriculum Project, 1978-1979
Editorial Board, Cancer Nursing. An International Journal for Cancer Care. 1977-1984
Carter Blood Center, Board of Directors, 1979- 1981
Public Affairs Committee, National League for Nursing, 1975-1977, 1981-1983
Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, 1976-1981; 1987-1992
Tarrant County Health Planning Council, Physical Health, 1979
Finance Committee, Texas League for Nursing, 1975-1976
Liaison Committee, Texas Society of Nursing Service Administrators, Council of Deans and Directors of Nursing Programs, 1975-1978
Ad Hoc Committee, The Decanal Role, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Resources Development, Health Resources Administration, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1975
Accreditation Committee, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher degree Programs, National League for Nursing, 1973-1975
Nurse Training Act Projects Review Committee, 1973-1975 (Division of Nursing-HEW)
Board of Review, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs, National League for Nursing, 1972-1975
Tarrant County United Fund and Community Services Board of Directors, 1972-1974
Nursing Project Council, Coordination Board, Texas College and University System, and Chairman, Task Force on Education, 197 1-1974
Health Manpower Committee, Regional Health Planning Council, North Central Texas Council of Governments, 1970-1976
Texas Commission on Nursing, 1971-1975
Long Range Planning Committee, Nursing Council, SREB, 1973-1975
Advisory Committee, Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tarrant County Junior College, 1970-1974
Ad Hoc Committee - Study of Open Curriculum, National League for Nursing, 1969-1970 Community Health Service Advisory Committee, North Texas Planning Council for
Hospitals and Related Health Facilities, 1968-1970
Steering Committee, Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing, SREB, 1967-1970 Board of Directors, Fort Worth Division, Texas Heart Association, 1969
Texas Nurses’ Association--Texas Medical Association Liaison Committee, 1968-1969
Steering Committee, University of Texas--W.K. Kellogg Junior College Project, 1963-1965
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
National League for Nursing Advisor, National Student Nurses’ Association, 1987-1989
National Commission on Nursing Implementation Project (NCNIP), 1986-1988
Advisory Committee for ADN Interproject Network, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, San Francisco, California, February, 1985
Chaired Program Panel, NLN Conference, “Nursing Education: Shift in Cost and Payment Under Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG5)”, May, 1984, Washington, D.C.
Presidential Briefing and Luncheon at the White House of the American Business Women’s Day, Washington, D.C., September, 1983 (Invitational)
Faculty Member--American Association of Colleges of Nursing Executive Development Series, 1980-1981
Chaired Opening Session, National League for Nursing National Convention, Speaker: Alvin Toffler, Atlanta, May, 1979
Panel Participant, Southern Regional Educational Board Nursing Council, Nov., 1978 Accreditation Visitor, Board of Nurse Registration and Education, Oklahoma, October,
1976 and 1977
Site Visitor for doctoral program proposal, School of Nursing, University of Alabama, March, 1975
Accreditation Visitor, Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs, National League for Nursing and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
