Virginia Thelesie Shields Ross, 80, HIV/AIDS worker

"VIRGINIA ROSS started as a hugger," the

Daily News'

Ron Goldwyn wrote about her in 2001.

Virginia visited hospitals "to hug and rock babies left behind by AIDS- and HIV-infected mothers," Goldwyn wrote.

That kind of love and compassion for the sick and those "left behind" by sufferers marked Virginia's life of service to AIDS and HIV patients, as well as in education programs to call attention to the disease and ways to prevent its spread.

Her particular emphasis was on the impact the dreaded disease has on the African-American community, where for many years it was a forbidden topic because of its association with homosexuality.

But Virginia Ross and others sought to convince black leaders that the AIDS plague spread beyond gay men to affect women, infants and children.

Virginia Thelesie Shields Ross, whose work with AIDS and HIV took her to Africa and the Caribbean and led her to meet with former President Bill Clinton, a dedicated churchwoman and loving family matriarch, died Oct. 27 after a prolonged illness. She was 80 and lived in South Philadelphia.

One of the projects that Virginia helped initiate was the annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, which became an international event and is still going strong.

Thousands of African-American churches throughout the U.S., Africa and the Caribbean join in the effort to help prevent the spread of HIV.

Her church, Tasker Street Missionary Baptist, was one of the early participants in the event, thanks to Virginia's advocacy.

"You hear about the medications that are happening and you hear there's a decline, but for people of color, their statistics continue to rise," she told Ron Goldwyn.

Before she became ill, Virginia was an active member of the board of Circle of Care, which provides services to families affected by HIV.

For more than 20 years, Virginia was a tireless advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, work that also took her to Washington where in 1997, she and other HIV/AIDS workers met with President Clinton to get his help in ensuring that victims of the disease had access to medical and supportive services.

Virginia was a founding member of the AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families, of which she was a former vice president and chaired committees working on the problems.

She also adopted foster children with the disease and nurtured them through their courageous fight to stay alive and active.

Virginia was born in Philadelphia to Urusle Shields Wilson and Frank Shields. She graduated from South Philadelphia High School for Girls at age 15. She later studied social work at Temple University.

She married the late George A. Ross in 1956.

Virginia became an active member of Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on a number of ministries and as a missionary.

"Virginia demonstrated that 'the greatest of these is charity' in her daily walk," her family said. "She tempered her formidability and strength with unrelenting compassion for others.

"She was one of those rare women who could stop you with one look, and make you feel loved with a hug or smile."

She is survived by four daughters, Mari Ross-Russell, Lisa Robinson-Ross, Chaneil Scott and Ashley Jackson; two sons, Derrick Russell and George Ross, and two grandchildren.

Services: Were yesterday. Burial was at Eden Cemetery, Collingdale.