Virginia Coffey

Virginia Coffey was born in 1933 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and she lived there until 1975 when she remarried and moved to Avery County. There she found the Weaving Room at the Crossnore School. She learned weaving from Ossie Phillips, a North Carolina Folk Heritage Award recipient, who worked at the school for more than 60 years. “At times it’s very relaxing, and at times it’s hard work,” she recalled. “I guess it depends on how you feel when you get up in the morning.”

Virginia worked for the Crossnore Weaving Room about three different times over 20 years before retiring. She continued to weave for the school as a contract weaver in her retirement. “I make the little linen towels. I like those. They’re delicate. I really like all of it,” she said.

Virginia Coffey passed away on November 5, 2018 at the age of 85.