Sylvia Cogville Chambers

Sylvia Cogville (Coghill) Chambers, age 80 of Dinwiddie died at Norfolk General Hospital on December 9, 2019. She was a lifetime citizen of Dinwiddie County. She was born and raised on a 4th generation tobacco farm in Darvills. She was married for 52 years to Charles Newman Chambers, Sr. Sylvia was an honor graduate of Sunnyside-McKenney in 1956. Mrs. Chambers received her BS from Longwood University and MS from VCU. She was an early retired teacher who taught 31 years, 1960-1991 all in Dinwiddie County. In 1973 she was honored at the state FBLA conference in Richmond as the “Most Outstanding FBLA Advisor” out of 175 advisers in the state of VA. Her business students won regional, state, and national awards. Mrs. Chambers also was adjunct instruction at John Tyler Community College. After retiring Mrs. Chambers served 8 years as President of the DRTA, President of the District D VRTA for 4 years, and was a member the VRTA state board. During her tenure as District D president, District D became the #1 district in the state VRTA due to her organizational skills and dynamic leadership. Sylvia won the VRTA Most Active Member in the state of Virginia and District D in 2007. Sylvia was known as Queen Sibbie of the Red Hat Society Foxy Ladies. She enjoyed red hatting, black hatting, and all colors hatting. Attending hatting events, teas, and conventions enriched her with lifetime friends. Queen Sibbie has exchanged her Boa for angel wings. Hatting friends are requested to wear black attire with black hats with bling to the visitation on Thursday and red attire with red hats and bling to the service on Friday. Sylvia was a member of Sharon Baptist Church where she was the pianist from age 12 to 29 and was an active church leader. She was an avid stitcher winning honors and ribbons for her needlework in all media. Her hobbies also included crafts, card making, scrapbooking, stamping, and family genealogy. She was a DAR and UDC member. Sylvia’s greatest legacy is her sons and grandchildren. She was predeceased by a grandson, Ethan Echols Chambers, and survived by her husband, Charles N. Chambers, Sr.; two sons Charles N. Chambers, Jr. and Terry E. Chambers (Sharon); two granddaughters Kaitlyn Emily Marie Chambers and Emily Elizabeth Chambers; grandson Brayden Newman Chambers, all of Dinwiddie; three first cousins James Ronald Gooch (Flourance) of McKenney, Constance G. Hightower of TN, Shirley G. Curry of FL, and Iris Daniel. A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday December 13, 2019 at Smyrna Baptist Church in Dinwiddie, 18971 Carson Road, Dinwiddie, VA 23841. Interment will follow at the Southlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Smyrna Baptist Church on Thursday December 12, 2019. No flowers please; tax exempt donations may be made to the Dinwiddie Retired Teachers Scholarship Fund, c/o Theella Taylor, 26920 Ridge Road, McKennney, VA 23872. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .