Sussex County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Worrell, William L., 1972 

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W. L. Worrell Killed in Plane Crash 

  William Laydon Worrell, 21 of Wakefield, was killed Sunday about 7:30 p.m. 
in the crash of a single engine plane near Zuni in Isle of Wight County. 
Worrell was taken to Louise Obici Memorial Hospital, Suffolk, by the Isle of 
Wight Volunteer Rescue Squad, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. 

  A passenger in the Champion Citavira plane, Charles Boykin Jr., 19, also of 
Wakefield, was listed fair condition at Obici Hospital on Tuesday. 

  A witness to the crash said the plane had been flying acrobatics over a 
peanut field about three miles northeast of Zuni.  The plane went straight up 
then started down in a diving spin.  The pilot appearently couldn't pull the 
plane out of the drive.  It struck the top of a tree and crashed into the 
field, where it was totally destroyed. 

****************************************************************************** 

WILLIAM LAYDON WORRELL 

   WAKEFIELD - Funeral services were held Tuesday in Purviance Funeral Home 
for William Laydon Worrell, 22*, the bridegroom who was killed Sunday evening 
when a light plane he was flying crashed near Zuni.

   Rev. Ed Griffin and Rev. R. L. Consolvo officiated at the services.  Burial 
was in Wakefield Cemetery.

   Worrell was dead on arrival Sunday at Louise Obici Memorial Hospital in 
Nansemond where he was taken after the accident.

   A passenger in the plane, Charles Boykins Jr., 21 of Wakefield, was listed 
in fair condition Wednesday with hand and face injuries.

   Worrell was flying a plane owned by his father-in-law, James W. Renny and 
the Spain Lumber Co., according to state trooper J.M. Harver.  Witnesses told 
Harver that the plane stalled after climbing to a high altitude.

   The aircraft cut a path through some trees bordering a peanut field on the 
farm of Mrs. Normie Wilson, Rt. 644.

   The crash victim had been married only eight days before to the former Miss 
Nancy Renney.  The young couple had returned from an Atlanta honeymoon on 
Saturday.

   A lifelong resident of Wakefield, Worrell was employed by V.L. Worrell 
Bottle Gas Co. which is operated by his father.  He was a graduate of 
Tidewater Academy.

   He was the son of Mrs. Faye Beale Worrell and Mr. Worrell and a member of 
the Wakefield Baptist Church.  He was scoutmaster for the Wakefield Boy Scout 
Troop.

   Surviving in addition to his parents are two sisters, Cynthia V. and 
Christy B. Worrell, and a brother, Robert L. Worrell, all of Wakefield; his 
maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Beale, Waverly; and paternal 
grandfather, V.L. Worrell Sr., Wakefield.


William Laydon WORRELL, V.L. Worrell Bottle Gas employee, 
lifelong resident of Wakefield, newlywed, 
killed in plane crash 30 Jul 1972, near Zuni, age 21*, 
interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, near Stony Creek, 1 Aug 1972, 
"The Smithfield (VA) Times," Aug. 2, 1972, p. 1, col. 4;  
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Aug. 3, 1972, Sect. B, p. 1 

*His parents & grandparents are buried there as well. 
   Wakefield list, an extension of the 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt 

William was a month shy of 22.  His grave is covered by a granite slab, 
   engraved with pilot's wings and the following inscription: 
     WILLIAM LAYDON WORRELL 
         AUGUST 30, 1950 
         JULY 30, 1972 
     I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU 
     BECAUSE I AM IN LOVE WITH LIFE 
     OR PERHAPS I LOVE LIVING 
     BECAUSE I LOVE YOU        (L.A.) 
                               (B.W.) 
(Find A Grave Mem. #127513711) 

His widow 2m. John Franklin HUTCHERSON 10 Aug 1974.  (Sussex Co. #40) 

His father was owner of the gas company & the founder of Wakefield Airport. 
   His obit (Purviance Funeral Home, 2003) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640v2ob.txt 

His mother's obit (J.T. Morriss & Sons Funeral Home, 2011) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/w640f3ob.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/w640w4ob.txt