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FRANCES BERKELEY WINSTON WARINNER

Frances Berkeley Winston Warinner of Gloucester, was a charming Virginian lady who devoted herself to mothering, homemaking and social work. She died peacefully in her sleep on Dec. 12, 2015, in Heron Cove at Sanders in Gloucester.

Frances was born on Oct. 16, 1926 in Richmond, Va., to Alfred Sumner Winston Jr. and Frances Herring Berkeley Winston. Her mother died just before her 16th birthday and her mother’s sister, Mary Pollard Berkeley, guided her through her teenage years. When she was 21, Frances married Richmond native, Junius Ernest Warinner III.

Frances loved Virginia and was very proud of her Virginian heritage. She was a descendant of the twice-serving colonial governor, Sir William Berkeley, and twice serving independent governor, Patrick Henry. She felt a deep connection to the York River and settled permanently in Yorktown with her young family in 1959 and on Timberneck Creek in 1975.

Mothering and homemaking were central to her life as she provided a lifetime of support and love to her son with special needs, Robbie.  

Frances graduated from the Woman’s College of North Carolina (UNC Greensboro) with a degree in Sociology and worked in her field as the Executive Director of the American Red Cross in Yorktown, providing assistance to families who had members serving in the Vietnam War. She was a generous, empathic woman with a sly wit and a talent for Southern hospitality, sewing and crab-picking. She enjoyed any activity that could be pursued in a bathing suit and was a founding member of the Ancient Age Aquacades, a group of like-minded friends who met for exercise and support. She was active in her community including the Yorktown Women’s Club, Red Cross Swim Program, the Girl Scouts, Women’s Circle of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grafton and First Presbyterian Church in Gloucester, and the Ware River Circle of the International Order of The King’s Daughters and Sons.

Her husband, Junius Ernest Warinner III and her brother, Alfred Sumner Winston III, preceded her in death. 

She is survived by her three children, Junius Ernest Warinner IV (and husband William Joseph Griggs Jr.) of Virginia Beach, Mary Berkeley Warinner (and husband Grant Rowland Bruce Revell) of Fremantle, Western Australia, and Robert Storrs Warinner of Gloucester Court House; her granddaughters, Chesapeake Berkeley Revell and Torrens Sara Revell of Fremantle, Western Australia; sister-in-law, Pauline Warinner Wysor, and many nieces, nephews and friends who loved her.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, at the First Presbyterian Church of Gloucester, with repletion after the service. Dr. Doug Nagel will officiate the ceremony. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Frances’ life.

In memory of Frances, please continue the same generous acts of kindness to others that have sustained our family for so long.

The family would like to thank the staff of Heron Cove at Sanders, Hospice, and Visiting Angels for their exceptional care.

Arrangements by Hogg Funeral Home and Crematory. Family and friends may share condolences and memories at www.hoggfh.com.