Stella Stainback

Stella Stainback, born April 22, 1922 in Philadelphia, PA, to Brodie Wallace Bledsoe and Eva Gordon Bledsoe, but raised in True Blue in Orange County. She lived with her father and paternal grandparents on a dairy farm where she thrived in a warm and loving environment. She moved to Richmond after graduating from Unionville High School and found work at a local manufacturing plant where she later helped make nylon for parachutes for the war effort. In 1953, after the dissolution of her first marriage, she met the love of her life, Bill. Since he was a sailor and at sea, they would never have met except for his matchmaking brother, Wally, who worked part-time with Stella at a local trucking company. They married in 1955 and were together until Bill's death in 1995. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Bingham, of Chesterfield, her granddaughters and their husbands, Katherine and Jeff Hopson, of Chesterfield, and Andrea and Mike Kirsch, of Stephenson, Va. Also surviving Stella is Nancy Bowers, the child of her heart. Her brother Jack Bledsoe died in 1982. She is survived by her brother's sons, Ron Bledsoe of Richmond and Wally Bledsoe of Atlanta. Her brother-in-law, Wally Matthews, the matchmaker, passed away last year but his children Cindy McGoldrich of Marlboro, New Jersey and Ed Matthews of Austin, Texas survive her. Also surviving Stella are Bill's brother Carlton Matthews and his wife Gloria of Chase City. A memorial service will be held in the Chester Chapel of J.T.Morriss & Son Funeral Home on Wednesday November 11, 2009 at 1:00 PM with Dr. Ivan Perkinson Officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude's Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148 or to Operation Smile, 6435 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, VA 23509. Condolences may be registered atwww.jtmorriss.com