Bob Chappell
I first met Dorothy Warner on the phone at 5:30 AM. In the late 1980s after Franklin Warner retired from the US department of Agriculture, he took training to be a substitute school bus driver for the Rappahannock County Schools. As Assistant Superintendent I called bus driver subs. So when Dorothy answered the phone that morning, I said "Is Frank up yet?" I could sense her "look" as to why I'd be calling her house that time of day.
Fast forward to December 2002. After leaving Rappahannock in 1994 to be Superintendent in two other counties I applied to be Rappahannock's Superintendent. Franklin Warner had been elected to the School Board and voted with other Board members for me to be Rappahannock'sSuperintendent effective July 2003. Unfortunately, Mr. Warner passed away before I got a chance to serve with him. Dorothy worked with the Headwaters Foundation to start a scholarship in Franklin's honor for a deserving Rappahannock Co. High School graduate.
When I retired in 2010 Dorothy sent me a card: "Welcome to the 7-day weekend! We will miss you." After that I saw her in Walmart several times. She always laughed when I told her "We'll have to stop meeting like this." Dorothy Warner was a special lady. I will miss her.
You can honor Dorothy's memory by donating to the Franklin Warner Scholarship Fund, C/O Headwaters Foundation, 12018 Lee Hwy, Sperryville, VA 22740.
Sincerely,
Bob Chappell
