Mrs. Virginia Eppinger Cagle: Obituary

Mrs. Virginia Eppinger Cagle, age 90, of Ellijay died Friday December 18, 2014. Virginia was born in Pike County Georgia to Clarence and Minnie Eppinger in 1924. She was the next to the youngest of eleven children, eight girls and three boys. Her father made his living as a farmer. Virginia graduated from Molena High School in Molena, Georgia in 1941. She wanted to become a nurse, but her family was not financially able to send her to school. When World War II began, she joined the Cadet Nursing Program at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia in 1945. This is where she was given the nickname “Eppie” because her classmates said the name Eppinger was too long and of course this nickname has stayed with her throughout her life. Upon her graduation from the nursing program in 1948 she accepted a position at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta where she worked for four years.

Eppie moved to Canton, Georgia where she worked as a nurse at Coker’s Hospital under Dr. Grady Coker. It was during this time period that she met her future husband Arthur Lee Cagle, Jr. who was attending dental school at Emory University. She took a job at Hall County Hospital as pediatric supervisor, but later moved back to Atlanta working at Piedmont Hospital as a floor supervisor. She married Arthur Cagle in 1954 and their first child Judith Leigh Cagle was born in December of 1955. When Dr. Cagle finished dental school in 1957, they moved to Ellijay where he set up his dental practice. Her second child, Arthur Lee Cagle III was born in November 1978 followed by a daughter, Lisa Virginia Cagle in 1958 and another son Barron Griffin Cagle born in 1960. She remained a very busy, stay-at home mother until her children were old enough to attend school. Eppie was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Ellijay where she worked in the nursery as the pre-school director for nineteen years. She eventually went back to work part-time as a nurse at Watkins Memorial Hospital in Ellijay.

She accepted a job as Public Health Nurse/Senior Staff Nurse at the Gilmer County Health Department. There she was responsible for family planning services as well as prenatal care. She immunized many of the residents of Gilmer County until her retirement after approximately twenty-five years. After Dr. Cagle’s death following a long fight with cancer, she remarried Dr. Mack Moore, a professor at Georgia Tech and a resident of Sandy Springs, Georgia. She moved there and became step-mother to two children, John and Teri. She lived in Sandy Springs for more than twenty-five years where she enjoyed being an active member of the Garden Club.

Eppie enjoys reading, the Atlanta Braves and supporting the Gilmer Bobcats Basketball team, which is coached by one of her grandsons. She has ten grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Survivors include: Sons: Lee and Barry Cagle both of Ellijay, Daughters: Lisa Cagle Davis, Albany, Judy Cagle Reynolds, Chapin, SC, 9 grandchildren 11 great grandchildren, Sister: Mae Eppinger Hardy, Covington.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2:00pm from the First Baptist Church, Ellijay with Rev. James Holt officiating. Eulogy by Cathy Hardy Smith.

Interment will be in the Ellijay City cemetery.

The family will meet with friends Saturday from 4pm until 7 pm at the funeral home.

Bernhardt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.