Sussex County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Worrell, Vernard L. Jr., 2003 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ VERNARD LAYDON WORRELL, JR. WAKEFIELD - Vernard Laydon "V.L." Worrell, Jr., 80, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, Va., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, at Tandem Healthcare Center in Windsor, VA. Born Sept. 21, 1922, he was a son of the late Vernard L. Worrell, Sr. and Ethel Vance Branch Worrell. He was also predeceased by a brother Frank L. Worrell, and a son, William Laydon Worrell. A World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, Mr. Worrell was the former owner and operator of V.L. Worrell Appliance Store in Wakefield. He was the founder of Wakefield Airport and served as Chairman of the Wakefield Airport Commission for 28 years. In November 2002 he was inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame. He was an active member of the Va. Aviation Trades Association, a member of the Washington Airport Task Force, and was a board member of the Va. Aeronautical Historical Society. He was also active in many communities and civic organizations including the Wakefield Lodge No. 198 A.F. & A.M. In addition, Mr. Worrell was a former president of the Va. L.P. Gas Association, a former member of Wakefield Ruritan Club, a member of the local Sussex Co. Draft Board, former Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, and a member of the Wakefield Baptist Church. Mr. Worrell is survived by his devoted wife, Fay Beale Worrell, and a son, Robert L. and his wife, Janice, of Wakefield; two daughters, Christy W. Harris and husband, Steve, of Mineral, Va., Cynthia W. Sanborn and husband John, of Charlottesville, Va.; one granddaughter, Neill Kathryn Sanborn; five step- grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24, at Purviance Funeral Home, Wakefield, with the Rev. Jim Kerr officiating. Interment will follow in Wakefield Cemetery. The family receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to either Waverly Vol. Rescue Squad or Ivor Vol. Rescue Squad. ****************************************************************************** VERNARD LAYDON WORRELL, JR. VIRGINIA AVIATION PIONEER DIES AT 80 Vernard Laydon "V.L." Worrell, Jr. was "Mr. Aviation" in Wakefield. A man whose love and hobby was flying, he led the founding of Wakefield Airport and served as chairman of the Wakefield Airport Commission, which runs it, for 28 years. He was a former member of the Washington National Airport (now Reagan International) Task Force and a board member of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society. He helped establish the Virginia Aviation Museum at Richmond International Airport and supported its activities. In 2002 he was inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall Fame. Mr. Worrell, 80, former owner of V.L. Worrell Appliance Store in Wakefield, died of complications of heart problems Tuesday in a Windsor nursing home. A native and lifelong Wakefield resident, he was an electrician by trade, having trained at the apprentice school at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned home and caught flying fever. He took flying lessons at small area airports, flew a rented plane to chalk up air time and eventually purchased his own planes. One of the earliest people to see the need for development of airport facilities in rural Virginia, "he worked very hard locally with businessmen and the Wakefield Town Council to establish an airport to support the economy here," said a daughter, Cynthia Sanborn, of Charlottesville. His numerous appearances before and local and state government bodies bore fruit. The Wakefield Airport was dedicated in 1967. A businessman as well as pilot, he owned an appliance store, originally with his father, they expanded into a variety and hardware store. When area peanut growers began using propane-powered dryers to bring their peanuts to market earlier, the Worrells went into the propane business as well. Proximity to the peanut industry gave Mr. Worrell a product to promote as he flew around the county with the Virginia Aviation trades Association to drum up business for Virginia products. "He traveled to Oshkosh, Wis., where they have the biggest air show in the country each year, and gave away peanuts from Wakefield. He was known as the "Peanut Man from Wakefield," said Ken Rowe, retired director of the Virginia Department of Aviation. Mr. Worrell was a former president of the Virginia L.P. Gas Association and a former member of the Wakefield Ruritan Club and of the Sussex County Draft Board. Survivors include his wife, Fay Beale Worrell; a son, Robert L. Worrell, of Wakefield; another daughter, Christy Harris, of Mineral; one granddaughter; five step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren. A funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Purviance Funeral Home in Wakefield. Burial will follow in Wakefield Cemetery. Vernard Laydon WORRELL, Jr., retired businessman, founder of Wakefield airport, Navy veteran of WW-II, b. 21 Sep 1922, Wakefield, d. 21 Jan 2003, Windsor, interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, 24 Jan 2003, Purviance Funeral Home obit; "Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," Jan. 24, 2003 *His parents are also buried there. Wakefield list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt His wife's obit (J.T. Morriss & Sons Funeral Home, 2011) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640f3ob.txt His father's obit (Purviance Funeral Home, 1989) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640l7ob.txt His mother's obit (Purviance Funeral Home, 1972) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640e5ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640v2ob.txt