He is survived by his wonderful and devoted wife of 54 years, Anne Maiden Axselle; daughter, Anne-Marie; son Ralph L. “Rally” Axselle III and his wife, Angela; grandsons, Ralph L. “Rival” Axselle IV and Knox Axselle; daughter, Laura Axselle Schmidt and her husband, Chris; granddaughter, Addison Schmidt; and grandson, Grayson Schmidt; brother, Ronald Axselle and his wife, Neely; brother-in-law, David Maiden and his wife, Sue Page; brother-in-law, O.V. Maiden and his wife, Barbara. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph L. “Bill” Axselle Sr. and Elizabeth Lane Axselle.
Bill graduated from Hermitage High School where he was class president, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a football scholarship and the University of Richmond Law school where he was president of the law school student body. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and served from 1974 until his retirement in 1990. He practiced with the firm Axselle, Hundley, Johnson, & Harris until 1990 when he joined Williams Mullen to establish the firm’s state advocacy government group with Reggie Jones.
Long active in a number of community activities, he was Chairman of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Forum Club, Public Affairs Group, and the Richmond Region 2007 Celebration on the 400th Anniversary of Christopher Newport, planting the cross that would ultimately become Richmond. That effort also brought the Richmond Folk Festival to the Richmond area. He was active at Second Baptist Church on River Road, where he taught adult Sunday school for more than 40 years, served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons, and was church moderator. He was also Vice Chair of the Board of Visitors at Virginia Commonwealth University.
In addition to helping coordinate the state government advocacy for Williams Mullen, he was also involved in many land use matters that helped bring to the area a number of significant endeavors, including Short Pump Town Center, Short Pump Crossing, Rocketts Landing, Faison Center, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Staples Mill Square and Marketplace Shopping Centers, Carriage Hill expansion, Virginia Center and others.
He was recognized by legal colleagues as a Leader in the Law. In his legal and legislative careers, he was assisted by wonderful long-term assistants, Ann Haddon, Bette Rock and Rose Steigman.
While active in diverse endeavors, his primary love and focus was always his wife, children and grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life memorial will take place at Second Baptist Church, 9614 River Road, Richmond, Virginia 23229, at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2019. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Second Baptist Church or a charity of your choice.
