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Celebrating the life of the Reverend Dr. Nathan Dell.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Nathan Dell, a distinguished faith leader, loving husband and father, and beloved member of the Richmond community, died on June 13, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Dell was a graduate of Savannah State University and Gammon Theological Seminary, and he pursued further theological studies at Union Theological Seminary and Yale Divinity School; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Dell began his career as a pastor at Grant Chapel Presbyterian Church in Darien, Georgia, in 1958, then moved to Richmond in 1964 and briefly served at Eastminster Presbyterian Church before becoming the full minister at Woodville Presbyterian Church, where he devoted 32 years to his congregation before retiring in 1996; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Dell extended his faith leadership in the community as the chaplain for the Richmond Fire Department and through his published writings; in retirement, he served as interim pastor of All Souls Presbyterian Church and First United Presbyterian Church of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Dell contributed to the growth and development of aspiring faith leaders as a professor of homiletics at Virginia Union University's Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology from 1983 to 2015; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his service to the community, Nathan Dell was honored by Living the Dream, Inc., with its “A Tribute to Reverend Nathan Dell” event on February 3, 2024; and
WHEREAS, Nathan Dell will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his devoted wife of 60 years, Willie; his son, Wayne; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Reverend Dr. Nathan Dell, a treasured member of the Richmond community whose legacy of faith, dedication, and service inspired all who knew him; 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 the Reverend Dr. Nathan Dell as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.