HR 2037

Celebrating the life of Wilhelmina Gregory James.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, April 23, 2026
WHEREAS, Wilhelmina Gregory James, a respected corrections officer, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and beloved member of the Chesterfield County community, died on March 23, 2026; and
WHEREAS, known affectionately by family and friends as “Queen Wilhelmina,” Wilhelmina James was born in Hertford, North Carolina, and later made her home in Brooklyn, New York, for many years before ultimately retiring to Chesterfield County; and
WHEREAS, as a narcotics correction officer for both women and adolescents, Wilhelmina James worked tirelessly to help individuals find stability in their lives so that they could become productive members of their communities; and
WHEREAS, Wilhelmina James' passions in life included dancing, music, the arts, interior decorating, and travel, and she cherished every opportunity to spend quality time with family and loved ones; and
WHEREAS, Wilhelmina James was the consummate caregiver, attending to the needs of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren over the years, and her home was unfailingly where people gathered for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions; and
WHEREAS, guided throughout her life by her faith, Wilhelmina James enjoyed worship and fellowship with her community at Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Richmond, where she was actively involved with a number of ministries and charitable endeavors; and
WHEREAS, preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Rudolph, and her daughter Freida, Wilhelmina James will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her children, Tracey, Martin, and James, and their families and by numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Wilhelmina Gregory James, a treasured member of the Chesterfield County community whose integrity, compassion, and generosity will forever inspire all who knew her; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Wilhelmina Gregory James as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for her memory.