Surrena Francis Washington

Surrena Francis Washington, 97, recently of Harrisburg, NC made her spiritual transition on August 15, 2024. Surrena enjoyed a long, fulfilling and varied life. She has been a girl, woman, mother, grandmother, great-grand mother, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, friend, worker and life-long learner.

 Surrena was born on March 28,1927 to Leonard Saunders and Mary E. Francis in Charleston, West Virginia. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister Lula Francis; her brother Thomas Hairston; her former husbands’, John C. Chapple and John E. Washington and her fourth child, Gilda S. Chapple.

 She is survived by her sister, Mary Rice of West Virginia. Her children, Valedo E. Chapple of Maryland, Sharon Chapple McCurn of California, John C. Chapple Jr of California, and Teresa Chapple Andrews, of North Carolina; 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, of whom she was immensely proud, and several nieces, and nephews.

 Surrena’s early life was not without hardship and trauma, but her long life proved to be one of strength and perseverance. After leaving school to give birth to her first child at aged 16, Surrena went on to marry and give birth to 4 more children. Shortly after her last child was born, she obtained her GED and enrolled in The Kanawha County (West Virginia) Nursing school and in 1959 she graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She immediately went to work at Saint Francis Hospital and shortly thereafter at Charleston Memorial Hospital where she worked until 1966. While there she became active in the West Virginia State Nurses Association, a statewide organization which has operated since 1933. Continuously willing to take on leadership roles, she held several offices in the organization representing LPNs throughout the state in the early 1960s.

 Always looking for better financial and educational opportunities for herself and her family, Surrena moved her family to San Francisco, California in August of 1966. She began working for Mount Zion Hospital and remained on staff in various capacities for over 18 years. As her career in hospital health care was ending in 1984, Surrena continued to serve her community full time by working with the City of Oakland's AIDS Volunteer program and the Alameda County AIDS Project to train volunteers and families in caregiving for AIDS patients. She also served as a private nurse throughout the East Bay from 1985 to 1989.

 At age 62 in 1989, Surrena retired and joined the Peace Corps and spent over two years in Sierra Leone, West Africa. After leaving the Peace Corps in 1991, she continued to serve her Oakland community as a Women and Children’s Advocate at the AIDS Project of the East Bay.

In later years of her life, her 70s, 80s, early 90s – she continued to advocate for Seniors, women, and children ‘s health care needs by serving at Saint Mary’s Center (1999-2004) and volunteering at Charlotte Maxwell Center (1992-1998) both in Oakland.

 Surrena embraced the Science of Mind Philosophy in the mid 1970’s and became a Holistic Life Practitioner in 1984, after years of study and service to both East Bay Church of Religious Science (1979 to 1988) and First Church of Religious Science (1988 to 2011). Surrena remained active in many forms of church service, including serving on the Board of Trustees, assisting with Sunday services, and various Educational Programs. She became a member of Heart and Soul Center of Light in Oakland in 2012 and continued her support after moving to North Carolina in 2018. She also supported Unity Church of Charlotte from 2018 to 2021. Surrena’s lifelong service to both her spiritual and secular communities has been a beacon of light to all who have known her. She will be greatly missed by her family, and a host of friends and colleagues. 

A memorial service will be held at Raymer-Kepner Chapel located at 16901 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC 280078 on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 11:00AM. A repass will follow the service at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the following: 

St. Mary’s Center stmaryscenter.org or the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic  charlottemaxwell.org .