In her teens, the
family moved back to Alderson where in 1948 Charlotte
was graced with the arrival of her beloved sister
Martha. During high school Charlotte met her future
husband, James Hawver McVey, though they didn’t start
dating until both were at West Virginia University.
Charlotte joined the Alpha Phi sorority and graduated
with a major in English and a minor in music before
marrying her lifelong sweetheart in 1954.
Charlotte was a
graduate of Alderson High School, class of 1950.
After a stint in Charlottesville, where Jim finished
medical school and Charlotte taught high school English,
the couple settled for good in Richlands, Virginia, in
1958. They joined the Richlands Presbyterian Church,
relished the arrival of five children, and became some
of the town’s biggest boosters, especially as fans of
the Blue Tornado. Charlotte in particular was a catalyst
for the arts and youth activities, among other civic
interests. She not only recognized a need, she built
programs to meet that need now and into the future, all
while managing a family and supporting her husband’s
medical career.
She co-founded the Junior Golf program at the Tazewell
County Country Club; held leadership positions in the
Junior Women’s Club and the Women’s Medical Auxiliary;
and helped to establish a county-wide book mobile
program to extend the reach of the library. In 1980, she
co-founded Citizens for the Arts, a nonprofit that
brought artists and musicians to the area for exhibits
and concerts. She and Doc McVey were among the founding
members of the Historic Crab Orchard Museum. She served
for 10 years on the Cedar Bluff Town Council and in 1991
received the Citizen of the Year award jointly with her
husband. At her church, among many other activities,
Charlotte helped launch the junior choir and during a
period of major renovation, convinced church leadership
to purchase a high-quality pipe organ, promising that
she herself would learn how to play it. It’s a promise
she kept, Sunday after Sunday, for more than 30 years.
Her faith was the kind that expressed itself in deeds
more than words. She filled her home with books and
music, with friends and family and anyone hungry for
welcome. “Look at this beautiful mess we’ve made,” she
said to Jim at one typically crowded Thanksgiving. No
one not belonging. Everyone part of her song.
In 2018, Charlotte lost her husband Jim after 64 years
of marriage. Survivors include her sister, Martha
Brumfield and husband David of Charleston, WV, and five
children with their spouses: Melissa Cranwell of
Roanoke, VA (Rick); Greta McVey of College Park,
Maryland (Cindy); Gail Taylor of Seymour TN (Doug); Jim
McVey, Jr. of Richlands (Stephanie); and Will McVey of
Braselton, GA (Rachel). Other survivors include 14
grandchildren (Lindsay, Caitlin, Charlotte, James,
Westley, Garrison, Kenneth, John, Maddy, Reid, Matthew,
Nathan, Brady, and Annie); six great-grandchildren
(Kennedy, Elle, Piper, Ainsley, Hudson, and Remington),
and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to acknowledge the support
received from Legacy Hospice during this difficult time.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a private family service
will be held. A celebration of Charlotte’s life will be
planned for a later date. Those who wish may make
contributions in her memory to Citizens for the Arts
(1413 Front St, Richlands, VA 24641) or the Richlands
Presbyterian Church (P.O. Box 446, Richlands, VA 24641).
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