Virginia Wells Chappell

Lillian Virginia “Ginnie” Wells Chappell, 99, joined her beloved husband in Heaven on July 28, 2021.
She was born in Sussex County, Virginia, on March 24, 1922, to the late Sylvia Mae Griswold Wells and George Collier Wells, Sr. The family later moved to Dinwiddie County, Virginia, where Ginnie and her siblings grew up.
She was a graduate of the old Dinwiddie High School and attended Pan American Business School in Richmond. She worked for the Virginia Department of Education in Richmond from 1942-47, then moved on to work at the Dinwiddie County School Board for eight years. In December 1950, Ginnie married the love of her life, Allen Gray Chappell.
Ginnie continued her secretarial career at Dinwiddie Elementary School and as a bookkeeper for two area doctors, all while raising two daughters, a very large garden, and various pets. She was a proud and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, instilling in her daughters a great love of gardening, cooking, and reading. She is survived by her sister, Jean Wells Sharp of Carson, VA; daughters, Mary Gray Chappell of Lewisburg, WV, and Julie Chappell of Durham, NC; grandchildren Josh Miller of Lewisburg, WV, and Grace Hennessy and husband Rishabh Jaishankar of Chicago, IL; and a host of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
In addition to her parents, Ginnie was preceeded in death by her husband, Gray Chappell, and siblings Ruth Wells, William E. Wells, Ella Mae Chappell, George “Snookie” Wells, Mary Edith Perkinson, and Joyce Williams.
Ginnie enjoyed serving her church, Carson United Methodist, and is remembered for her dedication to and leadership of the Carson U.M. youth group and the United Methodist Women. She also enjoyed writing poetry about her life and the people and the things that meant so much to her. As a fan of local history, Ginnie was an enthusiastic supporter of the Dinwiddie County Historical Society.
A private burial is planned, followed by a celebration of her life at a date to be announced.
We are so appreciative of the multitudes of family members, friends, and caregivers who surrounded Ginnie with their love, patience, and assistance during her later years. We would especially like to thank the staff at the Petersburg Home for Ladies for their unwavering kindness and loving care over the past 6½ years. Ginnie was blessed to have you all in her life, and so were we.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Petersburg Home for Ladies, 311 S. Jefferson St., Petersburg VA 23803 (memo: Fellowship Fund), or to your local food bank in recognition of the great pleasure Ginnie took in feeding anyone lucky enough to sit at her table. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .