Hester Lynch Waterfield

Hester L. Waterfield, 77, of Virginia Beach, passed away on July 24, 2024. She was predeceased in death by her parents Douglas C. and Virgina Lynch, her husband E. Ray Waterfield, her sister Gloria L. Jones.

Hester worked for the City of Virginia Beach for over 36 years. She started her career with the Police Department then transitioned to the newly formed Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). She served as the Tourism and Marketing Director for the City and handled Public Relations for the CVB, traveling extensively to Europe and Canada to promote Virginia Beach as a tourist destination. She developed and planned the Virginia Beach Visitors Guide and organized the annual National Tourism Week Luncheon to honor all front-line employees in the tourism industry. She was instrumental in the creation of the Virginia Beach Visitors Center as the Director of Visitor Services.

She was a member of many tourism industry organizations and on numerous boards including the Southeast Tourism Society and National Tourism Association. In 2007, Hester was a founding member and board member of the Virginia Beach Retired Employees Association. She also severed her beloved church, Tabernacle United Methodist, on the Administrative Board, Staff Parish Relations, Heritage Fund and other committees.

Hester was loved by her family and honored as the Family’s Matriarch. She will be missed by her surviving daughter, Cheryl Hughes and her husband Keane Hughes of Virginia Beach VA, granddaughter Kayla A. Hughes, grandson Joshua R. Hughes, two brothers Douglas Ray Lynch and his wife Nancy of Chesapeake, VA and Steven E. Lynch and his wife Rae of Norfolk, VA and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Tabernacle United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at Smith & Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel, Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Tabernacle United Methodist Church Heritage Fund, 1265 Sandbridge Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.