William "Bill" Leon Jewell, III

William “Bill” Leon Jewell III, 69, of Old Church, VA, died peacefully at his home on Nov. 13, 2019, after courageously contending with cancer for several years. After 43 years, he retired in 2015 as principle owner and vice president of sales and engineering at TLA Inc., a Richmond commercial, industrial and residential mechanical engineering products firm.  A life-long athlete and outdoorsman, Bill was an avid Wolfpack fan at North Carolina State University, where he was the third generation to graduate. In 1972, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. In 1971 he met his future wife and soulmate, Kay, to whom he was married for 46 years. He also played on the NC State rugby team, continuing his Sanford High School award-winning career in football, basketball, track and swimming. His 1968 high school football team was the 1966-1967 Southeastern and Eastern Region champions. Bill later was volunteer head coach of the Old Church Community Center swim team from 1988 to 1991 and led the team to place first in the GRAL Silver Championships. His favorite way to spend any free moment was fishing, whether from his Pamunkey River dock or boat or on his beloved Chesapeake Bay. He loved fishing and grilling his catch for family and friends but couldn’t eat what he caught because of an allergy since childhood. Bill was a decades-long member of ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, and of Immanuel Episcopal Church, where he served on the vestry. He was predeceased by his parents, Mildred Younghaus and William Leon Jewell Jr., and goddaughter, Meredith Adams.             He is survived by his beloved wife, Kay Jewell; a son, William “Lee” Leon Jewell IV, and his wife, Lucy, and their daughter, Britt, of Richmond; two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Jewell, and her husband, Micah Gordon, of San Diego, CA, and Claire Jewell, of Louisa, VA. He is also survived by his sisters, Diane Jewell Huff, of Nathalie, VA, and Linda Jewell, of Berkeley, CA; a goddaughter, Lauren Adams, of Baltimore, MD; numerous nieces and nephews throughout the country, and his loving pup, Rosie.  A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday Nov. 16, 2019, at Immanuel Episcopal Church, 3263 Old Church Road in Hanover County. A reception will follow. Burial will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Immanuel Episcopal Church, with “Memorial Fund” in the memo line, or to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, ATTN: Membership Department, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403.

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