J. Edwin Givens

GIVENS, J. Edwin, died Friday, August 22, 2008 at the age of 98. Mr. Givens was born in Newport, Va., the son of James Bittle and Mary Spessard Givens. He was a graduate of Virginia Tech, Class of 1931 and retired from Southern States Cooperative in 1975, where he was a senior executive. Mr. Givens was a founder of Westminster Canterbury, Richmond, and served five years as the first chairman of the board. He also served as chairman of the board of the Richmond Home for Ladies and was actively involved in the establishment of Covenant Woods as the successor to the home. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he was an elder and was also a former member and elder at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. He served eight years as a member of the board of visitors at Virginia Tech and was vice rector of the board. He received Virginia Tech's Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Givens was a member and chairman of the board of the National Council of Farm Cooperatives. He was a founder and chairman of the board of Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership at the University of Missouri. In 1969, he was appointed by Governor Mills Godwin as chairman of the Virginia Commission on the Industry of Agriculture. He was active with the Richmond Symphony and Hampden-Sydney Music Festival. He served on the Symphony Council and as chairman of the board of the Festival. He was a member of the Country Club of Virginia and former president of the Kiwanis Club of Richmond. He was preceded in death by his wife, Beatrice Hyde Givens; daughter, Jane Givens Jordan; wife, Florence Robertson Givens; his brothers, Lawrence Spessard Givens and James L. Givens; his sister, Caroline Vincel. He is survived by his grandson, Dr. Joseph Givens Jordan and his wife, Jennifer; great-grandchildren, William Patrick Jordan and Anna Hyde Jordan; his sister, Frances Rosson; sister-in-law, Louise Givens; son-in-law, Dr. William P. Jordan; brother-in-law, William B. Vincel; stepchildren, Dr. Charles H. Robertson Jr. and his wife, Michael, Sandra O'Neal, Donna Robertson and Bruce Robertson; stepgrandchildren, Brett, Lang and Ryan Robertson, Alex Nelson, Ginger Goff, Mac McAnulty and Margaret Robertson; several nieces and nephews; and longtime friend, Anne P. Satterfield. Burial will be private followed by a memorial service 2 p.m. Monday, August 25 at First Presbyterian Church, 4602 Cary Street. A memorial service will also be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 26 in the auditorium at Westminster Canterbury. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Westminster Canterbury Fellowship Fund, 1600 Westbrook Ave., Richmond, Va. 23227 or Covenant Woods-Covenant Fund, 7090 Covenant Woods Dr., Mechanicsville, Va. 23111.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.