William Edward Lange

William Edward "Bill" Lange, 75, of Midlothian, went to watch baseball’s Opening Day on the big screen in Heaven, July 23, 2020. Born in Petersburg, he was the son of Alphonso Lange Sr. and Helen Elko Lange. Bill served in the Army in counterintelligence, obtained a Bachelor of Arts in history from RPI and a Master of Political Science from the University of Maryland. Bill retired from the Library of Virginia, after 35 years of service as an Archivist. He attended St. Edward Catholic Church. Bill was a dedicated volunteer for years at local hospitals and recently with the Richmond Animal League. He will always be remembered for his selfless spirit, kind heart and inquisitive nature. He filled his days with a love of his family and friends, his dogs, baseball, reading and history. Bill is survived by his son, Brian Lange and wife, Charlotte Lange, of Midlothian; and stepson, Brandon Blair of Richmond. He was preceded in death by his brother, Alphonso Lange Jr. A gathering of family and friends will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, 2020, at Woody Funeral Home, Huguenot Chapel, 1020 Huguenot Road, Midlothian, Va. 23113. His committal and final resting place will ultimately be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Petersburg. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Richmond Animal League at www.RAL.org or the Virginia Historical Society at www.virginiahistory.org. Bill loved reading, the American pastime of baseball, his many dogs over the years, (most recently Blondie and Princess) and studying virtually all genres of history. He had many friends… you know who you are! Above all, he cherished spending time with his son; hitting pop flys and playing catch, shooting soda cans, as well as shooting countless games of pool. They talked about the important differences between being a father and a dad. Bill was the best Dad for which a son could ask! He was always up for new experiences like kayaking, taking banjo lessons, riding roller coasters, taking a helicopter tour, zip-lining, go-cart racing, hiking in the mountains or going to see a concert or a magician perform. Bill was even an extra on camera in the movie, Iron Jawed Angels. He would often say, “you have to know where you came from in order to know where you are going.” We all now take comfort in knowing he is resting peacefully in Heaven. Online condolences may be conveyed to the family at www.woodyfuneralhomehuguenot.com.