Ercelle S. Young

Ercelle Slate Young, 98, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009.

She was born Nov. 3, 1911 in Petersburg, Va., daughter of the late John Threatt Slate and Orpha Cox Slate. She was the widow of William Armstrong Young Sr. She was a resident at the Petersburg Home for Ladies for the past nine years. Mrs. Young was the eldest surviving member of Wesley United Methodist Church where she was an accomplished pianist, organist and choir member for many years. She continued to play the piano and entertained the Happy Day Group until her recent illness. Mrs. Young also served on the Board of Directors at Wesley for a number of years as well as the Pastoral Committee, and she was a member of the Galilean Sunday School Class. Mrs. Young volunteered for many years and played the piano at the Colonial Heights Convalescent Center for their Friday services.

She is survived by a son, William Armstrong Young Jr.; a daughter, Jayne Young Feminella; two granddaughters, Dr. Noel Feminella Lester and Joy Elizabeth Feminella; a sister, Olivia Slate Lingerfelt; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church in Colonial Heights, Va., at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14, with interment to follow at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Va. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss and Son Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, 3701 Conduit Road Colonial Heights, VA 23834 or to the Petersburg Home for Ladies Fellowship Fund, 311 South Jefferson Street, Petersburg, VA 23803. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com.