Who is Virginia Taft from Taft and what is their importance?

Virginia Taft is the wife of Levon Taft and the mother of Fay and Carl Taft. She spends most of her time in Coalfield looking after her overworked husband, and she worries that her children do not respect her. She is a secretary, but after her husband dies, Virginia spends her days sitting on the deck he never finished. Eventually, the family grows broke and moves to live with Virginia's sister in Memphis.