Virginia
Dinora Mejia
Died January 10, 2021.
Potomac View Elementary School, Woodbridge, VA
Custodian
A custodian who worked at a Prince William County’s Potomac View Elementary School has died from complications to COVID-19, the school division has confirmed.
The custodian, identified by the school division as Dinora Mejia, was “a longtime daytime custodian” at the Woodbridge elementary school. She had been on medical leave since Dec. 9, Potomac View Elementary School Principal Latiesa Geen said in a Jan. 11 email to parents.
Members of the school division’s “critical incident team will be available to assist students and staff in coping with their sadness,” Green’s email said.
“Please pay attention to your student’s emotional needs during the next few weeks, especially if he/she knew Ms. Mejia,” the email said.
Prince William County schools officials confirmed the custodian’s death on Tuesday morning.
“We are very saddened by the death of Dinora Mejia, beloved daytime custodian at Potomac View Elementary School and 20-year employee of PWCS,” Diana Gulotta, a school division spokeswoman, said in an email.
Mejia is the first school division employee to die of complications related to COVID, Gulotta said.
The school division does not believe the custodian became infected with the virus at school, Gulotta said.
“We were provided information that she had close contact with someone outside of school that had COVID-19,” Gulotta said in an email.
News of the custodian’s death comes as the school division welcomed thousands more students into the school buildings today as its hybrid learning model expanded to include second- and third-grade students. They returned to schools on Jan. 12 for the first time since last March.
The news also precedes the school board’s special meeting, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. tonight, to discuss Superintendent Steven Walts’ latest change to in-school learning plans.
Teachers and staff are now eligible for vaccines and are set to begin receiving them on Jan. 28, Prince William Health Department Director Dr. Alison Ansher told the Manassas City Council Monday night.
Charles Ragland, 74
Died January 13, 2021.
Bedford County Public Schools, Bedford, VA
Bus Driver
Charles Douglas Ragland, Sr., 74, of Bedford passed away on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at Centra Lynchburg General Hospital. He was born in Nelson County on July 8, 1946. A son of the late Otha Morris Ragland and Daisy Beatrice Ragland. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Melvin Ragland; sister Minnie Ragland; sister-in-law, Carla Ragland.
Charles was a Blessed man. A husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend to so many. He loved going to yard sales and finding treasures to repurpose or work on. His love for clocks new and old was very evident. He also loved spending time with family, friends and loved children, especially giving them lollipops when seeing them. He was loved by so many and will be missed dearly.
Charles is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, JoAnn C. Ragland; son, Charles Douglas Ragland, Jr. and wife, Debbie; daughters, Anna Marie Jennings and husband, James, Charlotte “Bea” Millner and husband, Mike and Stacy Nicole Pound and husband, Matt; step-daughter, Joyce Katherine Martinez and husband, Marcello; step-son, Anthony Wayne Chaconas; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brothers, Prentice Ragland and wife, Nancy, Otha Ragland and wife, Leanna and Earl Ragland; sisters, Nancy Grant and husband D.C., Helen Bryant, Betty Parrish, Fleta Staton, Carol Staton, and Barbara Sowell and husband, Gary. Also surviving are numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
For those wishing to make memorial contributions in Charles’s memory please consider The Alzheimer’s association of Lynchburg.
A celebration of Charles’s life and Graveside service will be conducted at 2:00pm on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at Peaks Church and Community Cemetery with his brother Pastor Earl Ragland Larry Myers officiating. To send condolences online please visit tharpfuneralhome.com. Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, Bedford is assisting the family.
Dorothy Myers, 64
Died December 21, 2020.
Glenwood Elementary School, Virginia Beach, VA
Physical Education
She was born July 2, 1956 in Jersey City, New Jersey to the late Thomas K. Flynn and Dorothy Keller Flynn of Jackson New Jersey.
Dottie was a 1974 graduate of Toms River North where she also pursued a vocational school as a dental assistant. Dottie met her future husband, Tom in 1979 and were married in 1980. Their daughter Jennifer was born in 1981.
Dottie served the Virginia Beach City Public School system for thirty years as a Physical Education Assistant. Most of her service was at Glenwood Elementary, an amazing, kind-hearted, extremely hard working and dependable teacher assistant who was loved by all the children and staff.
Dottie had a great love for the outdoors, whether it was the beaches of the Outer Banks, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Norfolk Botanical Gardens or her own back yard. She developed a deep passion for outdoor photography where her favorites were tropical flowers, hummingbirds, bald eagles, butterflies and whatever showed up in the back yard on any given day.
Dottie is survived by her loving husband Tom of 40 years, daughter Jennifer Myers and partner Amy Akerman of Chesapeake Virginia, brother Thomas Flynn and his wife Liz of Rotunda FL, nephew Ryan Flynn of Pensacola, FL and cousins Richard Reilly, Laura Reilly and Karen Coppolella.
A service will not be planned.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to COVID Relief
Cynthia Torbett, 55
Died November 27, 2020.
Colonial Heights Middle School, Kingsport, TN
Counselor
Community members pulled together this week to support a local family following the death of a woman known by many for her service to children.
Cindy Torbett, a Colonial Heights Middle School counselor and former Science Hill High School secretary, died Nov. 27 at the age of 55 following a battle with COVID-19. Her husband Phil was still in Johnson City Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit as of Wednesday.
Former Science Hill Principal John Boyd said Cindy worked under Assistant Principal Jeff Aldridge, primarily in the attendance office, during her time at Science Hill. It was there that she began to consider a future career in counseling.
“Cindy was a wonderfully kind, generous and hard-working person who radiated energy and caring for all students and staff,” Boyd said. “I’m sure that sincere concern for others served her well in her later career as a school counselor.”
Her mother, Ginger Ison, who also had worked in Johnson City Schools, said Cindy wanted to work in a field that would enable her to help more children. That eventually led to her career at Colonial Heights in 2012.
“She just saw a need for children. I think she saw a lot of that when she was at Science Hill and realized there were things she could do,” Ison said.
Rebecca Henderson, a longtime friend who attended a prayer group with Cindy, said she was known for her generous and caring nature.
“She was a very giving person,” she said. “It’s true, she would’ve given you the shirt off her back.”
Henderson recalled one example of Cindy’s drive to help others.
“Without ever mentioning names, or even if they are boys or girls, Cindy has several times told us about students coming into her office, so hungry they cannot learn,” she said. “On many occasions, the prayer group girls and I have brought Ramen noodles, packages of instant soup, granola bars, packages of snack crackers, snack-sized containers of pudding and fruit, and because of their long shelf life, apples, for Cindy to take to her students.”
Since Cindy’s death, the family has received financial support through an online fundraiser started by Cindy’s lifelong friend Kayla Wilson, who works as a teacher at Science Hill. The fundraiser aims to help cover funeral and medical expenses.
By Wednesday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $11,000.
Ison said more than 300 people recently attended a prayer vigil for the couple before Cindy died. She said it’s been amazing to see such support during this difficult time.
“Both of them are loved by so many people,” Ison said.
Boyd said that level of support is fitting for someone known for helping others.
“Cindy shared so much love for the students and educators in our community,” he said. “It’s heartwarming that the community is returning the love to the Torbett family.”
Phil’s condition was improving Wednesday, according to Ison.
For more information on the fundraiser or to donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/torbett-family-fundraiser.