THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 23, 1994 TAG: 9409210102
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 4B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
About 200 of Virginia Little's closest relatives dropped by to see her last month. Virginia Little and her 11 siblings, their children, grandchildren and assorted cousins, nephews and nieces had a little get-together at the Radisson Pavilion Hotel recently.
The reunions are a family tradition, one they have honored for 31 years.
Little and her brothers and sisters are scattered around the country. It was her turn to play host to the 1994 gathering.
Little, 63, was born Virginia Waller in Halifax County. The Waller family included 15 siblings, but three are deceased. The Waller, patriarch, Ernest C. Waller and matriarch, Lola Boyd-Waller, moved their huge family to South Hampton Roads when Virginia was 6.
``The Wallers were a white family in Halifax. My father's family took their name,'' said Little. ``I have seen some changes in my years.''
Little lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, Henry. They have three sons, Cornell, Melvin and Tyrone. Their daughter, Veronica Little Baker lives in Norfolk.
While the members of Little's immediate family had to travel only a few miles to attend the reunion, many relatives came from far away.
Little's nephew, Emmanuel Brown and his wife, Linda, came 3,000 miles from San Jose, Calif., to renew family ties. Others traveled from Atlanta, Detroit, Columbus, Ohio, and Brooklyn, N.Y.
Belineer Monroe Jr. came from Philadelphia. His nine children and nine grandchildren were also present for the family festivities, which included visiting and sightseeing in the area as well as the banquet at the Radisson.
The far-flung but close-knit Waller descendants started their family affair in 1963. They have faithfully continued the practice every other year.
The family members range in age from not-quite-2-year-old Jeffrey Bernard Williams of Lynchburg to 74-year-old Alfred M. Waller, the current dean of the clan.
``This is the first time I have hosted the reunion,'' said Little. ``If it wasn't for my friend, Delores Turner, I don't believe I could have done it. She has been my right arm. But I'm so excited and grateful for the reunions.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Veronica Little, left, and her mother, Virginia Little, were among
200 relatives who gathered for the recent Waller family reunion.
by CNB