Charlotte Ann McVey

August 4, 1932 - June 27, 2020

Charlotte Ann (Fulks) McVey, whose passion for the arts and community service enriched the lives of Tazewell County residents for more than 60 years, died at home on June 27, 2020, in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. She was 87 years old and surrounded by loving family. Charlotte was born at her grandparents’ farmhouse outside Alderson, West Virginia, on August 4, 1932. Shortly after, her parents moved to Cass, a logging camp and company town for West Virginia Pulp and Paper where her father, William Howard Fulks, was head accountant. Her mother, Madeline (Crawford) Fulks, kept house while Charlotte clambered along the wooden sidewalks and played at the edge of the Greenbrier River. One of her favorite memories was of Jukebox Saturday Nights – after spending the day harvesting milkweed pods for use in the lifejackets of World War II servicemen, she’d join the rest of the town at the community hall, dancing to popular nickelodeon tunes. It became a pattern in her life: good works and good times, in rhythm. In her teens, the family moved back to Alderson where in 1948 Charlotte was graced with the arrival of her beloved sister Martha. During high school Charlotte met her future husband, James Hawver McVey, though they didn’t start dating until both were at West Virginia University. Charlotte joined the Alpha Phi sorority and graduated with a major in English and a minor in music before marrying her lifelong sweetheart in 1954. After a stint in Charlottesville, where Jim finished medical school and Charlotte taught high school English, the couple settled for good in Richlands, Virginia, in 1958. They joined the Richlands Presbyterian Church, relished the arrival of five children, and became some of the town’s biggest boosters, especially as fans of the Blue Tornado. Charlotte in particular was a catalyst for the arts and youth activities, among other civic interests. She not only recognized a need, she built programs to meet that need now and into the future, all while managing a family and supporting her husband’s medical career. She co-founded the Junior Golf program at the Tazewell County Country Club; held leadership positions in the Junior Women’s Club and the Women’s Medical Auxiliary; and helped to establish a county-wide book mobile program to extend the reach of the library. In 1980, she co-founded Citizens for the Arts, a nonprofit that brought artists and musicians to the area for exhibits and concerts. She and Doc McVey were among the founding members of the Historic Crab Orchard Museum. She served for 10 years on the Cedar Bluff Town Council and in 1991 received the Citizen of the Year award jointly with her husband. At her church, among many other activities, Charlotte helped launch the junior choir and during a period of major renovation, convinced church leadership to purchase a high-quality pipe organ, promising that she herself would learn how to play it. It’s a promise she kept, Sunday after Sunday, for more than 30 years. Her faith was the kind that expressed itself in deeds more than words. She filled her home with books and music, with friends and family and anyone hungry for welcome. “Look at this beautiful mess we’ve made,” she said to Jim at one typically crowded Thanksgiving. No one not belonging. Everyone part of her song. In 2018, Charlotte lost her husband Jim after 64 years of marriage. Survivors include her sister, Martha Brumfield and husband David of Charleston, WV, and five children with their spouses: Melissa Cranwell of Roanoke, VA (Rick); Greta McVey of College Park, Maryland (Cindy); Gail Taylor of Seymour TN (Doug); Jim McVey, Jr. of Richlands (Stephanie); and Will McVey of Braselton, GA (Rachel). Other survivors include 14 grandchildren (Lindsay, Caitlin, Charlotte, James, Westley, Garrison, Kenneth, John, Maddy, Reid, Matthew, Nathan, Brady, and Annie); six great-grandchildren (Kennedy, Elle, Piper, Ainsley, Hudson, and Remington), and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. The family would like to acknowledge the support received from Legacy Hospice during this difficult time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a private family service will be held. A celebration of Charlotte’s life will be planned for a later date. Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to Citizens for the Arts (1413 Front St, Richlands, VA 24641) or the Richlands Presbyterian Church (P.O. Box 446, Richlands, VA 24641). Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands, Virginia is in charge of arrangements and those wishing to express sympathy online may do so at www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com