Mary Ellen Williams Comstock

Mary Ellen Williams Comstock, 98, of Colonial Heights, VA passed away on Friday, December 27, 2019 at the Petersburg Home for Ladies. She was born on September 14, 1921 in Chesterfield County to the late Norman Harrison and Ellen Robertson Williams. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, John Rowland Comstock and Dr. Robert Morris Comstock; her son, John Morris Comstock; a sister, Rosa W. Cannon; and four brothers, Wirt R. Williams, Norman H. Williams, Jr., John B. Williams and James M. Williams. She graduated from Petersburg High School in 1938, and continued her education at Farmville State Teachers College (now Longwood University). She taught the fourth grade in Chesterfield Co. and was the co-owner of the Petersburg School of Childhood. She was the first woman to be appointed to the Colonial Heights School Board and served for 12 years. Mary Ellen was an over 50 year member of the Col. John Banister Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a very active member of Tabb St. Presbyterian Church, where she served as the Director of Christian Education. Later in life, she joined Washington St. United Methodist Church and was very active with the women’s Thursday Noonday luncheons. After retirement, she volunteered at Petersburg General Hospital in the Twig Shop and also with the American Cancer Society. Mary Ellen was one of the developers of Conjurer’s Neck subdivision in Colonial Heights. Mrs. Comstock owned and operated Colonial Arts and Crafts with her son John and loved doing needlework. She is survived by her daughter, Katherine “Kay” Comstock Wynn; a son, James Mason Comstock; daughter-in-law, Pamela Martin Comstock; step-son, Robert Graham Comstock; a step-daughter, Anne Comstock Plummer and husband, Jay; five grandchildren, John Brandon Wynn and wife, Rachel, Matthew Douglas Wynn and wife, Brianna, Andrew Martin Comstock, Christopher Mitchell Plummer and Megan Stewart Plummer; two great-grandsons, Parker Mason Wynn and Samuel Harrison Wynn; her brother, Samuel Mason Williams; and numerous nieces and nephews. Mary Ellen was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be remembered for her devotion to her family. The family would like to thank the Petersburg Home for Ladies for the exceptional care during the last six years of Mrs. Comstock’s life. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at Washington St. United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA. Flowers are welcome, or memorial contributions may be sent in her memory to Washington Street United Methodist Church Building Fund, 22 E. Washington St., Petersburg, VA 23803 or The Old Brick House Foundation, 131 Waterfront Dr., Colonial Heights, VA 23834. The family is being served by the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com