Vera Chapman SOUTHERLAND

Vera Chapman Southerland, 88 of Bedford, passed away Wednesday, August 7, 2013 at Bedford County Nursing Home. She was born on Saturday, May 23, 1925, in Plymouth, England, a daughter of the late Sidney Robert Chapman and Winifred Gilbert Chapman. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Col. George Eustus Southerland. Our mother, Vera Chapman Southerland was born in Plymouth, England on May 23, 1925, the youngest of five children. Coming of age in wartime Britain, she lost her home overlooking Plymouth Harbor to German bombs, became very adept at darning, and met her future husband. She married our father, George E. Southerland, on May 7, 1944, just four weeks prior to D-Day. For months after the invasion, she did not know if she was a widow or not, and considered no news, good news. A member of the 116th Infantry Regiment, he had landed on Omaha Beach in the first waves. It would be five months before he got leave back to England.
Coming to the United States in 1945 aboard the Queen Mary, still outfitted as a troop carrier, she became a naturalized citizen but remained very English. She loved her hot tea, the queen, chocolate covered nuts, CNN and Far Side cartoons, as well as her family and friends. All that knew her loved her and will miss her very much. She was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church.
Surviving are her son, John N. Southerland and wife, Connie, of Lynch Station; her daughter, Susan S. Langford and husband, Leighton of Bedford; five grandchildren, Todd Morgan and wife, Linda, of Hardy, Christopher Morgan and wife, Amanda, of Bedford, Joel Morgan and wife, Amber, of Richmond, Todd Langford and wife, Mary, of Ashburn, Catherine Jones and husband, Matt, of Fairfax; four great-grandchildren, Claudia, Zachary and Isla Morgan, and Nathan Jones; as well as her sister, Audrey Wright, of London, England.
The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Bedford County Nursing Home for their compassionate care of our mother during the past four months. The family requests those wishing to make a memorials to consider St. John's Episcopal Church, 314 North Bridge Street, Bedford, VA 24253 or the National D-Day Memorial, P. O. Box 77, Bedford, VA 24253.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 10, 2013, at St. John's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Glenn Busch officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, August 9, 2013, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford.