Virginia Summerlin Chapman, 98, of Portsmouth, passed away Saturday, April 25, 2020, from natural causes at Bridgeport Nursing Home. She was born on October 18, 1921, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and was the daughter of the late Lamuel and Lucy Butts Summerlin.
She graduated from Goldsboro High School in 1938. In 1943 she married Lou Chapman of Portsmouth at First Baptist Church in Goldsboro. Upon her husband’s discharge from military service, the couple moved to Portsmouth where they resided for 65 years. Mrs. Chapman was an executive secretary to several businesses in Portsmouth: Williams Manufacturing Company, General Telephone, and Civic Savings and Loan.
She was an avid reader and was chosen to participate with benefit modeling for various organizations through Martings and Atlas Fashion. She served as Past President of the Coterie Club and was a former member of Silver Guild and Holmes Literary Club. Virginia was a lifelong member of Temple Baptist Church where she was a member of the Auditorium Bible Class and Seekers of Service Missions Circle.
She was preceded in death by her husband Lou Chapman, a daughter, Ann Chapman Summers (Bob); a sister, Mildred Burns, and two brothers, Ken Summerlin (Betty) and Lamuel Summerlin Jr. (Dory).
Virginia is survived by two sons, Cornel Chapman of Portsmouth and David Chapman (Connie) of Blacksburg, VA, and the following nieces and nephews: Marina Burns Cheney of Grove City, Ohio; Jan Summerlin Wilson (Rob) of Orlando, Florida; Paul Summerlin of Hornby Island, British Columbia; Leigh Gowdy (John) of Portsmouth; Beth Leightenheimer (Jim) of Cedarville, Ohio; and Jeff Summerlin (Cathy), of St. Louis Missouri.
Private graveside services will be held at Memorial Burial Park with Pastor John Gowdy officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the outstanding library at Temple Baptist Church which was dedicated in January 2000 in memory of Ann Chapman Summers, or the Temple Tots Preschool Program.
The family would like to thank Mrs. Chapman’s longtime helper and friend, Debbie Lewis
