LaVerne Spruill

LaVerne Cassell Spruill PORTSMOUTH - LaVerne Cassell Spruill, 65, of the 3000 block of Nelson St., passed from earth to eternity Oct. 4, 2008. She was the daughter of the late Lucy Artis Cassell and Hubert Cassell. Mrs. Spruill was born May 20, 1943, in Yadkins in Norfolk County, Virginia. LaVerne graduated from Crestwood High School in 1961 and later attended Norfolk State University where she received a major in psychology. LaVerne loved to tell of visions and experiences with angels beginning at the age of 8. LaVerne loved working with teens and worked at the Pines Residential Treatment Center in Portsmouth for eight years. She was an ordained minister, counselor, pianist and an organist. LaVerne was deeply spiritual and joined Divine Baptist Church in Chesapeake at an early age. LaVerne became legally blind in 1996 after having 10 eye surgeries and began kidney dialysis in 2000. She leaves to cherish her memories her husband, Grady V. Spruill of Portsmouth; sons, Samuel Spruill (Errin) of Portsmouth and Carnelius Spruill (Shalmaria) of Norfolk; sister, the Rev. Hazel Cassell Minor of Norfolk; niece, Dr. Viola Vaughan-Eden (Scott) of Williamsburg and five grandchildren. Also left to cherish her memory are aunts, Mary Scott Davis of Chesapeake, Thelma Faulk of Suffolk, Wilhamena Jordan of Nags Head, N.C., Georgia Mayo of Holland and Ruth Beatrice Holland of Holland; sister-in-law, Dorothy Redman of Tazewell, N.C.; brother-in-law, Rudolph Spruill of Omaha, Neb.; and a host of other relatives and friends. Viewing will be held Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m. at J.T. Fisher Funeral Services, 1080 N. George Washington Hwy., Chesapeake. A life celebration service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Divine Baptist Church, 2917 Old Galberry Road, Chesapeake. Interment will be in Cassell Cuffee Demby Family Cemetery, Galberry Road in Chesapeake. Thanks to the staff and nurses of the River Point Rehabilitation and Nursing Home in Virginia Beach for the care, love and companionship given to LaVerne. Thank you also to the DaVita Dialysis for the love and support these eight years. Condolences can be offered to the family at www.jtfisherfuneralservices.com.