They are the most sincere millionaires you would ever want to meet.
Johnnie and Bill Hagood became wealthy overnight, but in their view, they have been wealthy for years.
The Hagoods from Church Hill came to Scott County Thursday to claim their lump-sum, after-taxes winning jackpot of $3.2 million.
The original jackpot totaled $5.6 million when the Lotto South drawing, which is affiliated with the Virginia Lottery, was held on May 21.
"We plan to tithe 10 percent to our church, Ross Campground United Methodist. The organ there is 30 years old, so I hope they can use some of that money to buy a new one. It's been going on a wing and a prayer for quite awhile'' said Johnnie Hagood, a registered nurse who tendered her resignation to Holston Valley Medical Center via cell phone Monday afternoon after verifying the winning numbers on her ticket at the Virginia Lottery Regional Office in Abingdon.
"We have been extraordinarily blessed.''
Bill Hagood retired from Eastman in 1996 after working for years as a chemical operator. He now plans to explore the intricate workings of full-time fishing.
"I'm ready to go cast a reel right now,'' he said inside Scott County Tobacco Company, the site of his wife's lottery ticket purchase.
"I told the clerk when I bought the ticket that if this is a winner I'm going to use it to retire. I didn't think it would come true. It is hard to realize that I don't have to go back to work, although I am going to miss my patients,'' said Johnnie Hagood, who worked in the hospital's labor and delivery area.
The store received a $25,000 retailer bonus from state lottery officials for selling the winning ticket, the second Lotto South winner issued in the Tri-Cities region in the past three weeks.
The Hagoods' winning numbers were chosen by the lottery computer.
"The computer has been on a roll,'' said Virginia Lottery regional representative Phil Hankey.
The couple, who will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary on May 28 and are confessed homebodies, say travel is not in their plans after taking home millions of dollars.
"We might buy a few things here and there, some of the things you couldn't afford before, but for the most part we are secure,'' said Bill Hagood.
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