Evelyn Jule Hebb Chaney, 96, died on October 25 in Farmville, Virginia. Born in 1930

near Leadmine, WV, Evelyn grew up in St. George, WV, and remained a proud daughter of

West Virginia her entire life. She attended Lee College in Cleveland, TN where she met

Grady Chaney, a Florida-born WWII combat vet who was studying to become an ordained

minister.

Evelyn and Grady married in 1950 and built their lives together for 67 years until his

death in 2017. During those years, they served multiple congregations -- primarily in the

western U.S. including in Oregon, Washington, Kansas, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming -- and

raised seven children.

Evelyn was a loving mother, a poet, a librarian, a pastor’s wife, a woman of

remarkable strength, faith, and wisdom, and an avid reader. Her collection of poetry, “From

Leadmine to St. George and Beyond: A Life in Poetry,” was published in 2023 by McClain

Printing in Parsons, WV. With Grady, she traveled internationally to London, Paris, Trinidad

and Tobago, and Brussels, Belgium.

Evelyn is survived by three sons – Grady II (“Brant”) of Perth, Australia, Gary of

Denver, CO, and Michael of Charlotte, NC. Her son Daniel, of Los Angeles, CA preceded her

in death in 2017. She also leaves three daughters – Martie Oestman of Challis, ID, Amy Tice

of Farmville, VA, and Judith Hurley of Cheyenne, WY. She counted her sons-in-law Randy,

Denzil, and Logan, and her daughters-in-law Jean and Deborah as her own.

She held her ten grandchildren and three step-grandchildren close to her heart:

Clayton, Levi/Shae, Daniel Edward, Sarah, Steven, Samuel, Desmond, Darya, Natalia, Fynn,

Meghan, Alex, and Eli. She greatly cherished her six great-grandchildren and was eagerly

awaiting the arrival of two more great-grandsons. Evelyn is also survived by her sister

Texianna Broadaway of Cedartown, GA, plus nieces and nephews in Cedartown as well as in

Norman, OK, Sandpoint, ID, Seattle, WA, and West Palm Beach, FL. Our hearts are filled with

gratitude for her life and we will miss her always. A celebration of life will take place at a

future date when the family gathers.

The family is especially grateful to her care team at Centra PACE in Farmville for

their years of commitment, extraordinary compassion, and professionalism.

Contributions in Evelyn’s memory may be made to Johns Memorial Episcopal Church

in Farmville, VA.