Sannie Lee Chamblee

On Thursday, December 13, 2018, Sannie Lee Chamblee, 83, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Raised in Ahoskie, North Carolina by his maternal grandmother, Parthennie Dukes, after the early death of his parents, Sannie was a conscientious student athlete, playing basketball and football while participating in choir, chorus, and drama club. In 1955, he graduated from Robert Lee Vann High School with Honors, number six in his class. Sannie received a scholarship from Elizabeth City State Teachers College. In 1959, he earned the degree of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with Honors, having received the highest GPA among males. Sannie returned to his hometown, where he taught mathematics and science at Robert Lee Vann Junior High. He also served as the high school head football coach from 1959 to 1966. In 1963, Sannie married his college sweetheart, Martha A. Purvis, from Rocky Mount, North Carolina. After working in education for ten years in Hertford County, North Carolina, Sannie and Martha moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sannie taught in both elementary and middle schools in the Norfolk City Public Schools System and earned the Master of Science in Education degree, with concentration in Administration, from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Retiring after thirty-nine years in public education, Sannie enjoyed writing, and he published two books of inspirational and motivational poetry. Sannie is survived by his cherished wife of 55 years, Martha P. Chamblee; children, Sannie A. Chamblee (Tony), Christyl Chamblee Johnson and her husband, Darryl, Aldric D. Chamblee Sr. and his wife, Selena; and grandchildren, Jerrin Johnson, Aldric D. Chamblee Jr. (A.J.), and Andrew Chamblee; sister, Dorothy Gorham and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. A funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 North Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. The family will receive friends in the reception hall immediately following the burial in Rosewood Memorial Park. The family would like to express deepest gratitude to the wonderful staff of Kindred Hospice for their love and support during Sannie’s final days.