Virginia Senator Ben Chafin Passes Due To Covid-19 Complications

Russell County, Virginia

State Senator Augustus Benton (Ben) Chafin, Jr. ,a native son of Russell County located
in Southwest Virginia, passed away on January 1, 2021 from Covid-19 complications. He was
born on May 18, 1960 and named after his late father, A.B. Chafin. Ben’s spouse of 38 years,
Lora Carr Chafin, mother, Mary Miller Chafin, and sister, Justice Teresa M. Chafin, also reside
in Russell County.

Ben is the father of three adult children, Sophia Chafin Vance of Russell County, Audra
Chafin Hobart of Erie, PA and Augustus Benton Chafin III (Gus) who resides in Buchanan
County while attending the Appalachian School of Law.

Senator Chafin was a generational cattle farmer and a successful lawyer and principal of
Chafin Law Firm in Lebanon, Va. He was also a long term board member of the First Bank and
Trust (which his father helped found) as well as an avid outdoorsman and the very doting
grandfather of granddaughter, Abee Vance, and grandson, Tipton Vance.

Ben first served in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2013 and was elected to the state
senate in 2014, winning nearly 60% of the votes cast. He had a distinguished legislative record
and a very high rate of passed legislation. He advocated jobs in his district, particularly in the
coalfields where the decline of coal has devastated local economies. He was a strong supporter
of the Second Amendment, economic development and health care coverage for hundreds of
thousands of low-income Virginians.

The family of Senator Chafin thank the VCU Medical Center in Richmond for its
vigorous care and heartfelt support during his two weeks of medical services there.

The family, at Ben’s request, will not hold a formal burial service and request that in lieu
of flowers and other acts of kindness to please make food bank donations in Ben’s memory to
the Elk Garden School Community Ministry at 52 Hayters Gap Road, Rosedale, Va., 24280. The
food bank is affiliated with the Gracewood Community Church in Lebanon, Virginia where Ben
and his family attended since its founding in 2008.

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