Local obituaries for
Thomas Fred Westendorf
Oct 24, 2025
Thomas "Tom" Fred Westendorf, 84, of Chesterfield, VA passed away on Friday, October 24, 205. Born in Kelly Station, PA, he was the son of the late William J. and Anna Paraside Westendorf; and was also preceded in death by his loving wife, Jackie Westendorf; and a brother, Bill Westendorf. Mr. Westendorf faithfully served his country in the United States...
Melanie K. Benton-Martin
Oct 22, 2025
Melanie K. Benton-Martin of Chester passed away suddenly on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Charles L. and Sigrid H. Benton; as well as her paternal grandparents, Henry L. and Onyx C. Benton of Chester.
She is survived by her loving daughter, Sarah E. Martin; her sister, Christana (CJ) Benton; brother, Ben Clary (Christine); and second...
Mary C. Wooldridge
Oct 22, 2025
Mary "Millye" C. Wooldridge, 87, of Colonial Heights, passed away on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Larry Williams and Richard Wooldridge. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Joe Decook, Karen Shealy, and Connie Mountcasel; grandsons, Ryan Filager and Neal Filager; sister, Nancy Humphries; and other extended family and friends. All services will...
Helen Eleanor Johnson
Oct 21, 2025
Helen Eleanor Johnson, 83, of Colonial Heights, VA, passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Born in Petersburg, VA, she was the daughter of the late Louis Blank, Sr. and Mamie Bradshaw Blank; and was also preceded in death by her husband, Joe Johnson, Jr.; one grandson, James Ryan Johnson; and four siblings, Samuel Blank, Louis Blank, Jr., Nick Blank,...
Graham Kennedy Tiller
Oct 20, 2025
Graham Kennedy Tiller, known to all as Ken, passed away on October 20, 2025, at the age of 92, after a period of declining health. He was born on October 25, 1932, in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, to the late Graham Alexander and Janie "Ruth" Kennedy Tiller. Ken spent his formative years in Dickenson County, Virginia, and graduated from high school...
Gloria Peffer Crowson
Oct 20, 2025
Gloria Peffer Crowson, 93, of Colonial Heights, VA, passed away on October 20, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul T. Crowson; and her son, John N. Bowman, Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Jeannie Schrum; her son, Jimi Bowman (Joni); and her daughter, Paula Wallace (Amos). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Thad Bowman,...
Joseph C. Hillier
Oct 20, 2025
Joseph C. Hillier passed away October 20, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of service, dedication, and love for his family and community. A proud graduate of Thomas Dale High School, Hampden-Sydney College, and the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry, Joe began his career serving in the U.S. Navy at the Norfolk Naval Air Station before establishing a family...
Dora Cothran Togna
Oct 19, 2025
Dora Cothran Togna, born October 21, 1931, passed away in the early morning of October 19, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ricardo; grandson, Alden; and daughter-in-law, Saralyn. She is survived by her sons, Michael, Mark, and Keith (Molly); grandchildren, Matthew, Amy Jones (Matt), Gabriel (Kayla), Cothran (Nicky), and Owen (Reilly); and great-grandchildren, Austyn, Harrison, Harper, and...
Bernard Hartwell Howard
Oct 18, 2025
Bernard Hartwell Howard "Bernie", affectionately known as "Bun", left this earth to join his wife, Shirley Murray Howard, in Heaven on October 18, 2025. Born July 1, 1935, in Bedford, VA, to Ernest Oscar Howard and Myrtle Pedigo Howard.
Bun leaves behind his daughters, Cindy Howard Cherry (Jennings Cherry) and Melinda Howard Haddon (Johnny Haddon); granddaughters, Lauren Cherry and Allison Davis...
Gary Lee Simmons
Oct 17, 2025
Gary Lee Simmons, of Dinwiddie, Virginia, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 17, 2025. Born in 1952 and raised in Matoaca, Virginia, Gary was a proud graduate of Matoaca High School and a lifelong Virginian who cherished his roots, his family, and his friendships.
Gary dedicated 37 years of his life to Brenco Bearings in Petersburg, where he built...
William James McClellan, Jr.
Oct 17, 2025
William "Bill" James McClellan, Jr., 77, of Prince George, VA, passed away on October 17, 2025. Born and raised in Pennsauken, NJ, he was the son of the late William James, Sr. and Dolores Mary McClellan. He was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Mr. McClellan was a veteran of the United States Navy and the United States Air Force, something...
Thomas M. Strickland, Jr.
Oct 16, 2025
Thomas M. "Mack" Strickland, Jr., of Chesterfield, VA, passed away on October 16, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Born and raised in Chester, he was the son of the late Thomas Strickland, Sr. and Florine Strickland. He was a loving husband of 38 years to Janice Strickland and "father" to his beloved dog, Amber. Mack...
The Reverend James Russell Traylor
Oct 16, 2025
The Reverend James Russell Traylor, 87, of Colonial Heights, VA, died on October 16, 2025. Born in Ettrick, VA, he was the son of the late Charles Churchill Traylor, Jr. and Lucille Wilson Cain Traylor. He was a 1957 graduate of Petersburg High school, a 1967 graduate of the College of William and Mary, and attended the Marshall Wythe School of Law there. He was admitted...
Carolyn Elizabeth Wilson
Oct 16, 2025
Carolyn Elizabeth Wilson (known as Kay and Aunt Kay to many) passed away peacefully at home with her children Beth, Barbara, and Tom close by her side. Left with loving memories of their Grandma Carolyn are Matthew, Jennifer, Jacob, Sara, Rachel, and Ryan along with their children, Corey, Lane, Walker, Ragnar, and Anna Jo. She is also survived by her...
Nicole Marie Martin Millis
Oct 15, 2025
Nicole "Niki" Marie Martin Millis, 52, of Chesterfield, VA, passed away October 15, 2025. Born in Hopewell, VA, raised in Enon, VA, she was the daughter of Debra Rhodes and the late Robert E. Martin, Sr. She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Cory Millis; son, Dominic Millis; mother and step-father, Debra and Bob Rhodes; brother, Shannon Martin;...
Margaret Edwards Swinson
Oct 14, 2025
Margaret Edwards Swinson was born on December 21, 1932, in Wayne County, North Carolina. She passed away peacefully on October 14, 2025, at the age of 92 in Chesterfield, Virginia, of natural causes.
Margaret married her high school sweetheart and was happily married for 55 years. Three children were born of the marriage and she dedicated her life to creating a...
Virginia A. Goodrich
Oct 13, 2025
Peacefully at home, surrounded by family, Virginia A. Goodrich; loving and devoted wife and mother, beloved "Nan" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and friend to all whose lives she touched; was called home on October 13, 2025.
There to meet her are her parents, Elma and Grover Archer; siblings, Myrtle, Grover, and Garland; her husband, Bobby Goodrich; son, Robbie Goodrich;...
Billy Lee Crutchfield, Jr.
Oct 12, 2025
Billy Lee Crutchfield, Jr., of Prince George, VA, died October 12, 2025. Raised in South Hill, VA, he was the son of late Lou Ella and Billy Crutchfield, Sr. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janice Price Crutchfield; daughter, Mary Beth Crutchfield, of Richmond, VA; son, Mark Crutchfield, of Prince George, VA; daughter-in-law, Allison Crutchfield; and granddaughters,...
Jean L. Harvey
Oct 10, 2025
Jean L. Harvey, 84, of Richmond, VA, passed away on October 10, 2025. Born in Portsmouth, VA, to the late Arthur and Ida Leitner; she is also preceded in death by her loving husband, Harold R. Harvey, Jr.; and her brother-in-law, Steve Harvey.
Jean taught English at Meadowbrook High School for four years and always enjoyed seeing her former students in...
Reverend Emmett Richard Walker, Sr.
Oct 8, 2025
Reverend Emmett Richard Walker, Sr., age 81, passed away peacefully on October 8, 2025, in Sutherland, Virginia. Born on March 10, 1944, in Mecklenburg, Virginia, he lived a life rooted in faith, family, and a deep connection to the outdoors.
Emmett was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and spiritual leader whose life was marked by unwavering dedication to those he loved...
