Virginia Ann Cudd

Virginia Ann Cudd of Nashville, Tennessee passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 6, 2025. She was born in Lazare, Texas on May 22, 1930. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald E. Cudd, her mother Virginia Rebecca Pierce, her father Isaac Allen Pierce, her brothers Virgil Luther Mann and Sanford Allen Pierce and her niece Valerie Levan.

She was raised in Denton, Texas and attended and graduated from Denton High School. She then continued her education at Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women’s University. While at TSCW, she participated in summer studies at the University of Oklahoma, through which was offered the opportunity to study at the University of Mexico in Mexico City. She lived with a family and was immersed in Mexican culture while studying Spanish—she was greatly complimented on her Mexican accent. After graduating from TSCW, she received a full academic scholarship to Yale University, where she received her Masters Degree in Spanish. An uncommon and prestigious accomplishment for a woman at this time.

After Virginia completed her education, she accepted a job teaching Spanish in Hobbs, New Mexico. She began teaching at Hobbs High School, where she taught until moving to El Paso, Texas where she married Donald Cudd. Together they had three children and began their family. Because of her husband’s work they moved from Dallas to Atlanta, making their final home in Nashville, TN.

While raising her children, she participated in many creative groups and activities. Creating props and scenery for the Nashville Children’s Theater, showcasing artwork at Cheekwood for the Trees of Christmas, and was a member with New Neighbors Club, a gardening club in Nashville. She was very active in participating in her children’s school PTA, and volunteering regularly in the school buildings.

She and her husband enjoyed a few years of retirement together, after which she lovingly cared for him for many years before his death in 2010. After her husband’s death, she graciously shared her home with her older brother and cared for him until his death until May 2025.

She lived her life with a great sense of humor, fun and spirit of adventure. Some of her favorite things were being with family, cooking, and baking extraordinary birthday cakes. She especially loved holidays and family get-togethers—the traditional ones such as Thanksgiving (her favorite), as well as made up ones like BLT Fest and Breakfast in the Park. She was famous for her thoughtful and creative thank you notes. They were always carefully planned and often written in different languages on handcrafted cards. She always made everyone feel welcome and loved.

Virginia had a never-ending appreciation of Mexican food, whether made from scratch or from a restaurant in one of her favorite travel destinations, Sante Fe or Tucson. She loved all things about the western United States, and had a particular fascination with barbed wire and how it shaped the west. She had a passion for teaching and sharing her knowledge of the west and the Spanish language—teaching up until she was 94 years old.

She is survived by her daughters Rebecca Breedlove (Larry), Amy Walls (Ken), her son Scott Cudd, her nephew Bob Pierce, her granddaughters Katie Breedlove (Luke), and Emily Breedlove (Ryan).

A memorial in her honor will be held in the next few weeks.