W. A. Wingfield Jr. dies at 70
by CHRIS DOVI
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

    Giving and doing for others came as second nature for William A. Wingfield Jr., of Mechanicsville, and even the little thins rarely escaped his attention.
    "He'd always send birthday cards to all the Masonic widows," said Mr. Wingfield's son, Randy. "I was always out buying birthday cards for him."
    Mr. Wingfield was past master of Northside Lodge No. 292 AF&AM and was a past Richmond District deputy in Masonic Order.
    As a member of the now-defunct Eastgate Lions Club in the 1960s, Mr. Wingfield help establish White Can Day, which grew into a national fund-raising event benefiting the blind.
    Mr. Wingfield died Monday of injuries sustained in a June 13 work-related accident. He was 70.
    "Bill was a special person," said Richmond Circuit Judge Robert W. Duling, who knew Mr. Wingfield when the two were students at Chandler Junior High School on Brookland Park Boulevard. "He was about as honest as anyone could possible be, and he loved doing for people."
    The lasting friendship between Duling and Mr. Wingfield owes much to a reunion of sorts in 1963.
    "I was a late bloomer; I didn't finish law school until I was 35," Duling said.
    Mr. Wingfield contacted Duling to see if he could help him with the incorporation of his painting contracting business, City Wide Decorations.
    Just as Duling's career prospered, so, too, did Mr. Wingfield's. Most recently, City Wide Decorators completed interior and exterior painting and detailing work on the recent restoration of Virginia's Executive Mansion, home of the governor.
    "He was really proud of that," said his son, who worked with Mr. Wingfield in the family business. "It looks fantastic," he said of his father's last big project.
    In the June 13 accident, Mr. Wingfield and an employee Andy Harris of King and Queen County, were doing maintenance on a company vehicle when an engine fire burned both of them. After the accident, Harris extinguished Mr. Wingfield's clothing and called for assistance, Harris remain hospitalized.
    In addition to his son, Mr. Wingfield is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dorothy T. Wingfield; four other children, Debra N. Williams of Mechanicsville, Edward L. Newbill, of Richmond, Diane W. Miller, of Tappahannock and Donna W. Thornburg, of Mechanicsville; a brother, Carlton "Cotton" Wingfield, of Mechanicsville; and a sister, Shirley W. Leftwich, of Mechanicsville.
    A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Ave. Burial will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Richmond Times-Dispatch Thursday, July 27, 2000

William Andrew (Billy) Wingfield Jr., age 70, of Mechanicsville, passed away Monday, July 24, 2000. fifty years ago he founded City Wide Decorators Inc. He was born on December 22, 1929 in Appomattox, Va. to the late William A. Wingfield Sr. and Mary Toler Wingfield. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dorothy T. Wingfield; five children, Debra N. Williams of Mechanicsville, Edward L. Newbill of Richmond, Diane W. Miller of Tappahannock, Donna W. Thornburg and her husband, Kelly of Mechanicsville, L. Randy Wingfield and his wife, Deborah of Mechanicsville; a brother, Carlton (Cotton) Wingfield and his wife, Rita of Mechanicsville; a sister, Shirley W. Leftwich and her husband, Thomas of Mechanicsville; nine grandchildren, Lorrie W. Colbert and her husband, Wyatt, Nikki Williams, Erika Bailey, Blaine and Taylor Thornburg, Skye and Wayne Miller, Amy and Scott Wingfield. Mr. Wingfield was a graduate of John Marshall High School Class of 1947, past president of Eastgate Lions Club, past master of Northside Lodge No. 292 AF&AM, past Richmond District deputy in Masonic Order, and a member of the Mechanicsville Businessmen's Club. Remains rest at the Laburnum Chapel, Woody Funeral Home, 2110 E. Laburnum Ave., where the family will receive friends 2 to 4 and 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday at the Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, 3601 Seminary Avenue. Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery. In liu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation, 515 west 28th St., Richmond, Va. 23225.

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Wednesday, July 26, 2000 B7