Herman (Chick) Louis Burrell Jr.

On Saturday, May 20, 2017, God called our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend, Herman L. "Chick" Burrell, Jr. from labor to rest. He was born in New Kent County, Virginia, on April 16, 1940 to the late L. Herman and Edna B. Burrell. Almost every person reading this obituary probably feels like they were a special person in Chick's life. That is because you undoubtedly were. Chick loved life, he deeply loved his family, he cherished his friends, and he never met a stranger. He was a father to the fatherless, a son to those without a son, and a good friend to so very many people. His best friend was his brother, Jimmy, and they were often referred to as twins because you hardly saw one without the other. The Dallas Cowboys had a loyal fan (and maybe a long-suffering fan, too!) in Chick. His Masonic brothers were his extended family. Chick retired f rom the Newport News Shipyard where he worked for 34 years as a welder. Once a month he and some of his shipyard buddies has a Friday breakfast together, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He was frugal, but was extremely generous in helping his friends and loved ones in need. He was on the Cumberland Community Center Board and New Kent Safety Committee. He was honored by his church and community on several occasions. Woodworking wasn't just his hobby, it was his refuge. If he hit his finger while hammering, his exclamation was "hot-ta-mus-it-knows," whatever that meant. He loved hunting, fishing, playing cards, NatGeo and other wildlife programs, and enjoyed working with his honey bees, in his garden, and just being outside. He leaves to cherish his memory: devoted and loving wife, Sylvia Diane Burrell; daughter, Kimberly Webster, Wanda Burrell, Nina Burrell-Braxton (William, Jr.), Dione Bryant (Joseph, Jr.), Brittany Burrell; son, H. Louis Burrell, III (Vera); honorary daughter, Daisy Zuasola; grandchildren, LaTara, Christen (Neavon), Gianni, Natalie, Noah, Elle, Byron; special grandson, Jordan, who spent his formative years with Chick, and honorary grandchildren Kellie and Adrian; sister, Joyce M. Turpin and Betty J. Burrell; brothers, James "Jimmy", Master Chief Charles Kenneth (Betty), and Beverly Burrell; aunts, Fannie Burrell Smith, Irene Jones, Lorraine Bowman, and uncle Wardell Bowman (Annie); brothers-in-law, Reggie Barbour, Dennis Adams (Felicia), Mark Adams, Jimmy Adams (Joy) and special sister-in-law, Vera Burrell; a host of nieces, a nephew, great-nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Chick closed almost every telephone call with his loved ones with his deeply felt expression "I love you, now".

Tributes

Herman (Chick) Louis Burrell Jr.

April 16, 1940 - May 20, 2017