Nell Midgett

Nell W. Midgett VIRGINIA BEACH - Nell Webb Whitehurst Midgett, a longtime resident of Virginia Beach, died Oct. 3, 2010 after a brief illness. The youngest child of Helen and Guy Webb, she was born Nov. 6, 1923. She attended Mary Washington College and the University of Tennessee. A lifelong painter and orchid grower, she became a published writer in her last years. She married Eldridge A. Whitehurst and lived for 39 years in Knoxville, Tenn., where she belonged to the Faculty Wives Club and the Smokey Mountain Orchid Society, was the first president of the UT Hospital and Research Center Auxiliary, and past president of the Deane Hill Country Club Women Golfers. She was co-owner of The Monogram Shop and business manager of Knoxville DermatologyGroup. She retired back to Virginia Beach, where she married Ralph A. Midgett Jr., and moved to Atlantic Shores Retirement Community. She was member of Tidewater Orchid Society and past president of the Linkhorn Park Garden Club. At Atlantic Shores she was active in the Writers Group and had several articles published in the Beacon section of The Virginian-Pilot. Survivors include Ralph A. Midgett Jr.; a daughter, Win Whitehurst and her husband Milton Cloud of Henrico, Va.; a son, Eldridge A. "Ridge" Whitehurst Jr. I and his wife Peggie; granddaughters, Margaret Ann and Elizabeth Winslow and grandson Eldridge Dyer Whitehurst, all of Augusta, Ga.; and many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at Eastern Shore Chapel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the AS Employee Christmas Fund, 2100 Atlantic Shores Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23454. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel, is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to hdoliver.com.