George Harrison Hettrick

1940 - 2021

HETTRICK, George Harrison, 81, of Richmond, passed away peacefully on November 24, 2021. He was preceded in death by his mother, Frances Caryl O'Brian; his father, Ames Bartlett Hettrick Sr.; and his brothers, John Lord Hettrick Sr. and Ames Bartlett Hettrick Jr. He is survived by his wife, Lee Ann Hettrick; his son, Edward Lord Hettrick (Kelley); his daughter, Heather Hettrick Brugh (Lynnie); and his grandchildren, James Singer Brugh, Lawrence Kanaga Brugh, Anna Hutter Brugh, Sarah Frances Brugh, Lillian O'Brian Hettrick and Philip Harrison Hettrick.

George attended high school at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Cornell University in 1962 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1965. Upon graduation, he joined the law firm of Hunton & Williams in Richmond. However, before starting his legal career, he served his country as a captain in the United States Army from 1965 to 1968 in Wurzburg, Germany. He returned to his law firm in 1968 and soon thereafter, began his lifelong commitment to public service as special counsel to Virginia Governor Linwood Holton. For the last 30 years before he retired in 2018, George served as the chair of Hunton & Williams' pro bono committee. Under his guidance, the firm achieved 100 percent participation in pro bono projects, opened pro bono offices in both Richmond and Charlottesville and developed pro bono fellowships for young lawyers interested in pursuing a career in public service. George was also a member of the Virginia Access to Justice Commission and the advisory board of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation, where he worked on the treatment team at the drug court in Richmond. He considered the service to drug court and his service as a board member of Lawyers Helping Lawyers, a group that assists attorneys with drug and alcohol addictions, to be his biggest accomplishments.

George's work in the legal field earned him various recognitions throughout his life, including a 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from The American Lawyer magazine, the 2015 Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award from the Virginia State Bar and a recognition as a Person of the Year honoree by the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 2017. In 2015, the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation created the George H. Hettrick Leadership Award in his honor. The award recognizes lawyers who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to aiding underrepresented groups.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Bliley's Funeral Home, and are to be announced. Condolences can be made at www.blileys.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to Lawyers Helping Lawyers (vjlap.org/get-involved/donate/).